Vineyard Sanitation Part 3
Vineyard Sanitation Part 3. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.
We’ve been talking about vineyard sanitation and the ability to combat leaf roll disease and the carrier, mealy bugs. Dr. Patty Skinkis, Assistant Professor & Viticulture Specialist at
SKINKIS: They need to be removed in a matter of time and it all depends on vineyard economics of the individual vineyard or winery as to when they want to do that and if they do in fact have the insects that can spread the virus, removal is required immediately so that they are not able to spread it to other areas of their own vineyard or to other people’s vineyards.
It really is up to the individuals to take action unlike apples and codling moth situations.
SKINKIS: We don’t have any policies in place that are required. Once either the virus or the mealy bugs are identified, we don’t have a rule of what the next step is that they must follow. There’s policy. There may be formation of policy in the future but there’s none at this point. The first step that we’re taking on a state level is trying to get our quarantines altered.
Skinkis says it is important to check your vineyard and make sure that you are getting good clean stock when planting. And if you find leaf roll disease?
SKINKIS: What we recommend is removal of those vines and then allowing a fallow period where vines are not planted into that area for a period of at least 4 years.
That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
