8. Hazards, Pests & Diseases Flashcards
What is Pierce’s Disease and how is it spread?
How does it affect vines?
2 examples of varietals that are more vulnerable:
- bacterial disease that quickly kills vines
- lives in sap channels of vines, clogging them, leading to shrivelling/dropping leaves and death between 1-5 years
- spread by leafhoppers (specifically Glassy-Winged Sharpshooters)
Chardonnay / Pinot Noir = more vulnerable
What are symptoms of phylloxera? (5)
- vines die of drought in patches that increase each year
- vine roots are covered with insects and yellow eggs
- swellings in older roots
- pale green leaf galls on under-surface of leaves
- stunted shoot growth/leaf yellowing around 3 years – dies after 5
How does smoke taint “infect” grapes and resultant wines (3)?
- Aroma compounds are absorbed by the grapes, binding w/sugars and forming aroma pre-cursors (not becoming aromatic until fermentation).
- Wines w/smoke taint will exhibit smoky or plastic aromas.
- Strength of aromas can increase during élevage and bottle aging as more precursors break down and become aromatic.
What are management options for BIRDS (3)?
1) Netting.
2) Bird scarers/noise makers (must be rotated to precent birds becoming inured to them)
3) Introducing predators e.g. Falcons.
3 varietals that are particularly susceptible to Eutypa Dieback?
Which regions has it become particularly prevalent in (3)?
Grenache / Cabernet Sauvignon / Sauvignon Blanc
S. Australia / SW. France / California
What are management options for frost? (5)
1) Avoid frost pockets/choose hillside sites where cold air can drain away
2) Delaying pruning postpones bud burst into warmer months
3) Choose a variety that buds late e.g. Riesling/Cabernet Sauvignon
4) Vines high-trained off ground (coldest air = near ground)
5) Having bare soil between vines (absorbs more heat during day)
2 examples each of varieties MORE / LESS prone to Powdery Mildew:
MORE PRONE: Chardonnay / Cabernet Franc
LESS PRONE: Pinot Noir / Riesling
What are management options for drought? (3)
1) irrigation systems (where legally allowed)
2) drought-resistant rootstocks
3) drought-tolerant varieties e.g. Garnacha
How can SITE SELECTION aid in management of winter freezes(3)?
1) Hillside sites can be warmer than valley floor.
2) Sites near deep bodies of water benefit from moderating (e.g. Finger Lakes)
3) Planting where snow falls thickest (deep layer of snow protects vine)
What causes sunburn of grapes (3)?
How does sunburn negatively effect the grapes (3)?
Excess exposure to sun and heat.
Transpiration rate for grapes is more limited and less effective than for leaves.
As a result, grapes can reach higher temperatures than leaves and become burnt.
- Prolonged periods of sunburn have a negative affect on grape yields and quality.
- Leaves scars on the skins and can cause death of grapes as well.
- Causes browning of skins = bitter tastes + increased susceptiblity to rot.
How do MAMMALS damage vineyards (3)?
What are 4 specific examples?
What is the main management option for them?
- Eating shoots, grapes + leaves.
- Breaking skins = vulnerable to rot.
- Damaging structures such as trellising.
Baboons (S. Africa) / Kangaroos (Australia) / Wild Boar (Tuscany) / Deer (N. America)
Fencing is main option (must be sufficiently high + sunk in the soil)
How can PROTECTING VINES aid in management of winter freezes (3)?
1) Building up soil around vine graft (“hilling up”)
2) Burying vines (extreme climates)
3) Cultivation of multiple trunks per vine, so those killed in winter can be replaced.
Example of a region which experiences regular hail storms:
Mendoza, Argentina
What are some factors that increase the risk of a vineyard’s damage from FIRE (4)?
- Countries/regions that are hotter and drier.
- Warmer/drier conditions due to climate change.
- Vineyard locations near woodland, pastures and other crops that provide fuel.
- Presence of cover crops and organic mulches which provide fuel for the fire.
What is phylloxera and what does it do?
How can it be spread / transported?
- an aphid-like insect that feeds on and lays eggs on roots of grape vines
- weakens vine roots causing swelling and cracks, leading to rot.
Phylloxera was originally brought from N. America to Europe, and can spread via crawling, flying, or transported by humans on vine roots, soil, irrigation water or vineyard equipment e.g. leaf trimmers and harvesters.
What are nematodes and what do they do (2)?
What are the two most common?
- tiny worms that are common in soil that cause damage by feeding off vine roots and transmitting diseases (e.g. fanleaf virus)
- reductions in yield and vigor.
- this decreases ability of plant to uptake water and nutrients
- two most common are root-knot and dagger
What are management options for untimely rainfall? (2)
- Monitoring forecasts and considering early harvest if necessary
- Choice of site can also put a grape-grower in a better position from the start (climate, slope, soils, adequacy of drainage.)
What is the difference between a FROST and a FREEZE?
FROST: Cold air below 0C / 32F that collects at ground level and freezes water in vine’s buds/shoots.
FREEZE: Temperatures drop below -20C / -4F and vine become seriously damaged.
What are management options for hail? (4)
1) rockets can be fired into thunderclouds, seeding them with silver iodide causing rainfall instead of hail
2) net the fruit zone (only suitable in areas w/high sunlight levels, e.g. Argentina vs Burgundy)
3) select a number of plots in different areas
4) crop insurance against hail
What are the symptoms of fanleaf virus (3)?
What are its effects on the crop (2)?
e.g. of a susceptible variety?
- early shoot growth is stunted / canes grow in distorted ways / leaves are very pale + look like a fan
- Results can vary from little effect to losing most of crop esp. in susceptible varieties e.g. Cab. Sauv.
What is Esca?
How does it affect the vine?
What are its symptoms (2)?
- a complex fungal disease caused by group of organisms that are prevalent in warmer/drier climates e.g. S. Europe and California.
- enters vine through pruning wounds = reduced yield / death of plant.
- symptoms include tiger-striping of leaves and spotting inside wood
Explain how Heaters aka “Smudge Pots” protect vines fom frosts:
What are the cons(3)?
Oil/Propane Gas heaters are placed in vineyards and lit when there is a risk of frost.
CONS: -High cost of fuel/labor
- Low heating efficiency
- Contribution to air pollution
Are vines planted in cool or warm climate areas more at risk from being damaged by frosts?
Why/why not?
How do vines react when damaged by frosts (2)?
- Cool climate areas are vulnerable, but vines respond by not initiating budburst until temps reach 10C / 50F.
- Warm climates also at risk because if a milder day prompts budburst, then is followed by v. cool weather, buds will be damaged.
If buds / shoots are are killed, vine produces more shoots from secondary buds.
However, these shoots are less fruitful and will take longer to ripen, risking a drop in quality / lack of ripeness.
How can birds be a serious threat to vine growers (2)?
What is an example of a species that often attacks vineyards?
- Birds can destroy an entire crop of grapes by eating them (esp. in areas where grapes are the only source of food.)
- Damage can also allow bacteria/fungi to enter bunches.
Starlings
What are management options for nematodes? (4)
Once they are present they can only be:
1) leave soil to fallow for a number of years (but no crop = loss of $)
2) fumigate soil using chemicals (that are now banned in most regions)
3) plough in a cover crop of mustard plant (contains compounds that kill nematodes)
4) use nematode-resistant rootstocks (Ramsey, Dog Ridge, both V. Champini)
Once present they can only be MANAGED, not ELIMINATED
What are management options for grapevine yellows? (3)
There is no control for Grapevine Yellows. BUT:
1) focus on controlling the vectors, i.e. leafhoppers + plants that host them (insecticides / plant removal)
2) best practice in nursery is to bathe pruning wood in hot water
How can CHOICE OF VARIETAL aid in management of winter freezes (2)?
1) Some varieties = more freeze resistant (e.g. Cab Franc / Riesling)
2) Some American (Concord) and Mongolian (V. amurensis) vines species are more winter hardy
What causes Powdery Mildew?
AKA?
How does it affect vines (3)?
What conditions does it thrive in?
- CAUSED BY A FUNGUS (Erysiphe necator)
- AKA “Oidium tuckeri”
- it overwinters in buds/on canes then attacks young, green parts of the vine (grey patches to black patches).
- the patches damage the shoots, inflorescences and grapes, reducing yield.
- can cause grapes to split at véraison = encourages other infections.
- thrives in shady conditions, temps of ~25C (77F), and does not require high humidity
What are management options for leafroll virus (4)?
- there is no cure = only solution is to remove affected vines + replant.
- nurseries can screen for virus infections
- Open canopies help to reduce presence of mealy bugs
- Introduce predator to mealy bugs e.g. ladybugs, lacewings.
Explain how Wind Machines protect vines fom frosts:
What are the cons(2)?
Large fans (4-7m high) pull warm air from above ground to ground level = raised temperature. Helicopters can be used to the same effect.
CONS: -Only effective if there is an “inversion layer” (zone of warm air above ground.)
- Initial investment is considerable, and may not be economically warranted.