On 15 September 2022, industry was notified by Australian Grape & Wine that Grapevine Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) has been detected in Western Australian and Victorian germplasms.
GRBV has also been confirmed in South Australian vines.
These detections occurred as the result of routine screening for a range of viruses and follow up tracing, not as a result of visual symptoms.
On 16 September 2022, Vinehealth shared a set of Q&As to help growers and winemakers understand these GRBV detections.
These Q&As were developed by Vinehealth in partnership with the South Australian Vine Improvement Association, Wine Grape Council SA and South Australian Wine Industry Association, and the assistance of grapevine virus experts in Australia.
GRBV is a High Priority Pest for the viticulture industries which was discovered relatively recently in the United States in 2012. Until now, it was not known to occur in Australia.
GRBV is not known to cause vine death, however, it may have significant impacts on wine quality and vineyard longevity.
All grapevine material imported into Australia has been tested for GRBV at the national border since 2014.
We encourage industry to read the Australian Wine Research Institute’s Grapevine Red Blotch Virus fact sheet to find out about virus impact, symptoms, spread, management and diagnostics.
Vinehealth will continue to provide updates as further information comes to hand.
For those in SA who would like to discuss the current situation or require support, please contact us on 0412 859 882 or 0418 818 543.
RESOURCES
GRBV update for SA Vineyard Owners (20 Jan 2023)
Vinehealth GRBV Q&A (16 Sep 2022)
Australian Grape & Wine GRBV Biosecurity Alert (15 Sep 2022)