Recently released research by Agriculture Victoria Research has improved our knowledge of phylloxera and how to better manage it.
The project, ‘Integrated management of grapevine phylloxera: Phase II’, co-funded by Wine Australia and Agriculture Victoria, delivered a broad range of results. In response, Vinehealth Australia released an Industry Notice last week which detailed key findings and actions for industry.
The Agriculture Victoria project aimed to improve the management of grapevine phylloxera in Australia and prevent its spread into regions that are currently free of this pest.
Specifically, this project:
- Compared detection methods for phylloxera in vineyards and found that LAMP tests of root samples could improve the probability of detecting phylloxera. When LAMP was used in conjunction with the dig method, the chance of detecting phylloxera was high.
- Developed methods for better detecting phylloxera for biosecurity agencies to improve confidence in declarations of phylloxera absence.
- Screened rootstocks for resistance against certain phylloxera strains, allowing growers to make informed replanting choices.
- Developed an improved dry-heat disinfestation protocol for the movement of machinery between quarantine zones.
- Assessed overwintering phylloxera populations to determine the risk of phylloxera dispersal during winter operations.
- Characterised new leaf galling strains while investigating the increased prevalence of leaf galling phylloxera in King Valley.
- Explored potential biocontrol options for phylloxera to support growers managing this pest and found ladybugs and other insects predate on phylloxera when above ground.
While the wine industry has been successful in keeping phylloxera limited to small parts of Australia, if phylloxera were to spread, the cost to replace own rooted vines with rootstock would be in the billions of dollars. Therefore, efforts to prevent its spread are vital.
Click here to read Agriculture Victoria’s report.
Click here to read Vinehealth Australia’s Industry Notice.