May 2021 - 22

GRAPES
Glassy-winged
sharpshooter
By Crystal Nay
Western Editor
Glassy-winged sharpshooter
(GWSS) is a formidable nightmare for
grape growers - and growers of other
crops, for that matter - that vectors
Pierce's disease, which can decimate
grapevines and for which there is no
known cure.
While some grape growers may not
be familiar with the glassy-winged
sharpshooter, California grape growers
in 1999-2001 were well aware of
the pest as it spread Pierce's disease
in crops in Southern California's
Program - a unit within the California
Department of Food and Agriculture
(CDFA) that receives federal funding
and works with counties to reduce the
impact of Pierce's disease in California.
As a strong flying insect with over
350 host plants in agricultural, urban
and residential settings, there's no
real way to eradicate GWSS statewide.
The challenge of containment and
mitigation is important, along with
outreach.
" We are challenged as a program
How California
is protecting its
winegrapes
GWSS has been found in northern parts of the state, where it has since been eradicated. Currently, Madera County is the farthest
north where the pest has established, and growers, researchers, industry and affiliates of the Pierce's Disease Control Program are
taking steps to prevent any further movement north. Photos: USDA-APHIS
Temecula Valley and destroyed
vineyards, forcing their removal,
and creating what would be called
the California Vineyard Apocalypse.
Luckily, GWSS is not established in
the northern part of the state.
This event spurred the creation
of the Pierce's Disease Control
O
to keep the awareness up for
California grape growers, " said Craig
Hanes, branch chief and statewide
coordinator for the Pierce's Disease
Control Program (PDCP). " The PDCP
has been successful in limiting the
artificial spread of GWSS, and many
grape-growing regions around the
state have not had to deal with GWSS
directly. Growers are busy with so
many issues to manage, and we've
had success in not allowing GWSS to
spread across the state, so continued
awareness can be a problem. "
An ultimate vector
California is no stranger to Pierce's
disease. Prior to GWSS, there
were other vectors, such as green
sharpshooter, and redheaded and bluegreen
sharpshooters, in various parts
of the state, such as the Central Valley
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22 | FruitGrowersNews.com
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May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May 2021