July 2022 - 15

PLANT & SOIL HEALTH
of infestation, the plants are damaged
beyond repair, which is challenging from
a vineyard management perspective, she
added.
Once a grower discovers vines
struggling with phylloxera, it needs
to manage that vine's stress because
a grower can take steps to reduce the
spread and restrict the pest's movement
in the soil. That may mean infected
blocks are the last ones a grower should
manage in a management rotation.
" It may shake things up a little, but
it's the best way to reduce phylloxera
spread, " Moyer said. " A lot of that has
to do with movement, cultivation (and)
weed management. "
Insecticide resistance is becoming
a concern. Doug Walsh, a WSU
entomologist and environmental and
agrichemical education specialist, has
applied an insecticide - Imidacloprid -
to vineyards and in his lab tests and in
commercial vineyards. Indications are
the insecticide is experiencing failures
against phylloxera.
Walsh advises using insecticides
recommended by the University of
California Agriculture and Natural
Resources' statewide Integrated Pest
Management program for suppression,
not eradication. Walsh plans to conduct
efficacy trials on insecticides.
Because no rapid or easy way to
detect phylloxera exists, Moyer suggests
growers develop routine scouting
Washington State University Extension's risk assessment map shows winegrape growers how the phylloxera bug could potentially
infest their vineyards.
programs. If in replanting situations,
scout vineyards for phylloxera presence
before ripping out vines. Growers should
consider using resistant rootstocks in
replants, she said.
Walsh discussed the insect's
developmental stages and how the pest
moves vine to vine within a vineyard. It
overwinters as small nymphs on roots. In
the spring, when soil temperatures exceed
60° F, phylloxera begins feeding and
growing, becoming active crawlers, able to
move from plant to plant in the ground.
Because phylloxera moves between
vineyards on cuttings, boots and farming
equipment, Walsh said sanitation is key.
" It is the secondary fungal infections
that cause the most damage to the
plants, " he said. " That's the reason for the
cause of concern of phylloxera feeding
on grape fruits. "
Before replanting, growers with
infected blocks should pencil-out their
breakeven numbers in terms of vine and
yield decline. Because not much can be
done to remediate phylloxera once it's in
the vineyard, a solution is to plant only
phylloxera-resistant rootstocks, which
most commercial rootstocks are bred for,
said Moyer.
" Instead of looking at it as a
concern - 'Oh my gosh, we will
have a horrible time managing it
after cold damage and it will be
horrendous for us,' look at this as
an opportunity to start to use more
cultural practices in our pest and
disease management programs and
resistant rootstalk would be more
helpful, " she said.
Growers can find phylloxera
management links, view the map
and learn more at WSU's phylloxera
webpage, wine.wsu.edu/extension/
pest-management/phylloxera/. FGN
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FGN | JULY 2022 | 15

http://wine.wsu.edu/extension/ http://www.oescoinc.com

July 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2022