Protection methods

Since Pierce's disease has not yet affected European vineyards, no particular protection method is to be implemented. We advise you all the same:

• learn to recognize the symptoms of this bacterial blight on the vine, but also on the plant species cultivated or not present in the environment of your plots (consult the EPPO website );
• carefully monitor your vineyard;
• not to hesitate to report any confusing symptoms in order to identify the exact cause (s).

In the presence of this bacteriosis, there are unfortunately no curative control means. Despite this, different methods and measures are fairly conventionally used for this type of emerging bacteriosis:

• uprooting and destruction of affected plants;
• retention of plants or parts of plants in the affected area;
• carrying out preventive insecticide treatments against the vector insect (s);
• carrying out herbicide treatments in order to eliminate sensitive wild species which are often healthy carriers;
• use of resistant species or cultivars when possible.

Common European and American grape varieties are more or less susceptible to Pierce's disease. Certain American species used as rootstocks ( Vitis aestivalis , V. berlandieri , V. candidans , V. rupestris ), as well as the derived hybrids, are supposed to be resistant, as is V. rotundifolia . Some cultivars of Vitis vinifera such as Petit Sirah, Chenin blanc and Sylvaner are not very susceptible.