The arch nemesis pest of the California grape industry continues to spread to more grape growing areas. Vine mealybug damage not only leads to black sooty mold on grapevine leaves and clusters, but it can also transmit and spread grapevine leafroll associated viruses that have been devastating vineyards. Watch this brief interview with UCCE Kern County Entomology Advisor David Haviland …
Mitigating the Effects of Grapevine Red Blotch Disease
With grapevine red blotch disease widespread across the west, what’s a grower to do with a young or old vineyard that contracts this disease? How does it impact grape yield and quality and are there ways to mitigate the detrimental effects of this disease? Watch this brief interview with the new UCCE San Joaquin County Viticulture Advisor Justin Tanner to …
The Southeastern Spread of Spotted Lanternfly
Spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula (White), is an invasive pest that is being watched closely in many states – not only the states with current infestations, but also areas where the insect is likely to show up next, or those with the most vulnerable crops. The most vulnerable crop is grape, so this will be of interest to many readers here. Spotted lanternfly …
Entomopathogenic Nematodes as Management Tool for Grape Root Borer
A demanding management program is required to effectively control the intense insect and disease pests of bunch grapes in the Southeast. One such pest is the grape root borer (GRB), Vitacea polistiformis (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae) (Figure 1). This clearwing moth attacks the roots of both wild and cultivated grapes, and as such, is a significant pest in Southeastern grape production. The life cycle …
Foliar Fertilization of Grapevines: What We Know & Don’t Know
I was recently asked to give a talk about foliar fertilization in vineyards by the Willamette Valley Winegrowers Group and wanted to share some of that information here. Applying fertilizers or plant nutrients to foliage has a long history, and there is an extensive number of papers published on the subject. However, it may surprise some of you to learn …
Early Season (Phomopsis and Anthracnose) Reminder for Virginia Growers
One of the diseases you need to consider soon after bud break is Phomopsis cane and leaf spot. It causes minor leaf spots, which are more evident to our eyes, but necrotic lesions cause more critical damage on shoots and rachis. It also causes berry rot; however, it is not common with wine grapes because of our spray programs. Disease …
A More Effective Way to Win the Battle Against Vine Mealybug
Vine mealybug has never been more widespread across the grape growing regions of California than it is now. Watch this video interview with Nathan Mercer from the Kent Daane Lab at UC Berkeley, who shares a more effective and collaborative way to control this pest in vineyards. Read more about vineyard pest management in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this …
Best Practices for Keeping Herbicide Residue off Your Grapes
As grape growers strive to continue minimizing herbicide drift and residue on their vines/fruit, watch this brief video with Emeritus UCCE Weed Science Advisor John Roncoroni on best practices that can also save money on spray applications. Read more about it in American Vineyard Magazine. Please thank this video’s sponsor Suterra for their industry support.
UGA End-of-Season Pierce’s Disease Observations
We continue to see quite a bit of Pierce’s disease (PD) in our vineyards this year, to include our northern Georgia sites. I am convinced that bacterial titer drives this disease, and bacterial levels in the plant are determined by the vectors (type and number of sharpshooters involved), winter temperatures, and possible alternative hosts. I visited a Lomanto site near …
Fresno State Researchers Investigate Smoke Taint in Wine Grapes to Help Define Thresholds
Viticulture and enology researchers from multiple universities have been feverishly working with the western wine grape industry to learn more about how wildfire smoke impacts developing wine grapes. The hope is to develop some form of industry standard threshold for smoke taint, so that wine grapes will not be rejected at the winery unless they have truly been compromised. Watch …
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