Grapevine grafting is an essential part of winemaking. We need the scion varieties to produce high-quality wines, but we also require the rootstocks to provide the necessary resistance against phylloxera and other pathogens or environmental factors.
Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) can lead to substantial economic losses at the farm and/or winery scale.
In the ongoing battle against Leafroll virus, the management of mealy bug populations remains essential due to its “virus vector” status.
Sulphur is heavily relied upon in organically farmed vineyards to control powdery mildew.
Petri disease is a grapevine trunk disease responsible for the decline and dying of young vines a few years after planting. Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (Pch) is one of the main Petri…
Stellenbosch University researchers are harnessing artificial intelligence to streamline the identification of grapevine leafroll disease, a significant threat to South Africa's wine industry. A groundbreaking research project led by Prof…
RNA interference (RNAi) is a natural process that helps plants and other organisms defend against viruses. It is activated when the plant detects double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) from the virus. Scientists…
It is known that grapevine trunk diseases infect vines via pruning wounds. They colonise and spread throughout the vascular tissue affecting sap flow and subsequent vine performance. Researchers in Cognac…
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are an integral part of the rhizosphere and assist with nutrient uptake in plant roots, making them an attractive option for use as biofertilisers. This Washinton State…
Esca is a severe vascular disease of the grapevine for which there is no cost-effective cure. Vines eventually die because of deficient sap flow and must be replaced at a…