Comini Ludwig

The Austrian landowner and researcher Ludwig von Comini, Edler von Sonnenfels (1814-1869) studied at the Imperial and Royal Forest School in Mariabrunn near Wien. Afterwards he worked for several years in the state forestry service in Tyrol. In 1849 he came into possession of vineyards in Bolzano-South Tyrol through inheritance. It was here that he first discovered powdery mildew infestation in one of his vineyards in 1851. He immediately began attempts to combat this vine disease. When this fungus appeared in almost all European wine-growing countries from about 1855 onwards, Comini travelled to Italy, France and Greece to find out about suitable means of defence. Returning without results, he realised through further experiments in 1865 that pollination with powdered, dry sulphur brought the desired success. But perhaps others have already come to the same conclusion. It is therefore no longer possible to determine exactly who the actual "inventor" was. In any case, Comini spread his findings by word and writing throughout all the Austrian wine-growing regions of the time, which earned him the nickname "sulphur apostle".

Comini Ludwig - Porträt / Symptome Echter Mehltau an Traube und Blatt

Ludwig Comini: From unknown - photograph around 1860, public domain, link
Powdery mildew on the left: © André Mégroz
Powdery mildew right: © Christoph Hoyer

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Comini Ludwig

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