The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA) recently hosted its annual Pierce’s Disease Research Symposium, highlighting the work of countless scientists and industry professionals tackling the threat of Pierce’s Disease (PD) and the glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS).
A vector insect for PD, which causes grape leaves and fruit to dry and shrivel up when infected, and GWSS are a major threat to California’s ag industry, but have been largely avoided here in Napa County since the early 2000s thanks to these efforts.
“A lot has happened since we first learned of the Pierce’s Disease and Glassy Winged Sharpshooter nexus back in 1999,” said Craig Hanes, statewide coordinator for the Pierce's Disease Control Program through the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA).
“But the threat continues as seen by recent infestations in Solano County in the Vacaville area.”
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Over the last 20 years, members of the PD/GWSS Board have been working alongside CDFA Secretary Karen Ross to allocate funds for relevant research projects at UC Davis and beyond, all focused on mitigating the risk of PD in California’s grape growing regions. Funds are collected from PD winegrape assessments, and since 2010, the board has also been able to financially support projects researching other wine grape pests and diseases, too.
Despite these efforts, though, the risk of PD prevails, keeping researchers like those presenting at this month's symposium on their toes. However, Hanes stays positive and hopes are high among the community.
“Solano County Agricultural Commissioner Ed King has done a great job working with our program to lineate and start to eradicate this isolated infestation,” he said of the sightings in Solano County. “And, over the past 20 years, 18 isolated infestations like this have been eradicated.”
Ross also spoke at the symposium, congratulating her CDFA staff and other industry stakeholders for working together to continue research despite a tumultuous past two years.
“We have done a lot of pivots in the last 20 months, as all businesses have, and I think the PD program has done it really, really well,” she said. “I am excited, even though it is not in person, to have this seminar to hear a good update on the types of research projects that are being funded, and to take a moment to reflect on the many successes of the program and of the research projects.”
The symposium highlighted 15 different PD/GWSS-specific research projects, and offered sessions diving into found advancements in resistance and control strategies. Andy Walker of UC Davis’ Viticulture and Enology program presented alongside Summaira Riaz on PD-resistant grape varietals, growers Josh Polich and John Kovacevich of Anthony Vineyards discussed their experience with PD, and the like.
“It is also an opportunity to salute leadership in the grower and vintner community who saw a threat and worked through a lot of stuff to create this assessment program that has been invested for the good of the whole industry,” said Ross. “This is a reflection of what can happen when we work together on a statewide basis.”
Matt Kaiser, an environmental program manager for the PD Control Program and CDFA, also provided an update on the spotted lanternfly in California, which also could potentially cause a threat to wine country if infestations occur locally. Kaiser said that about two years ago the spotted lanternfly was designated as a pest of concern by the board, meaning they could funnel funds for research and outreach on this specific pest.
“One of the key issues is that feeding is near or at harvest, so any attempts to control [the population] during feeding runs into some logistical problems with harvest,” Kaiser said of the spotted lanternfly. “It is a relatively easy to kill pest, there are plenty of products to hit it with that will knock it down, but the issue is its mobility.”
Other pests and diseases including Red Blotch Disease, mealybugs, leafroll viruses and more were also discussed over the course of the two-day symposium. All research projects discussed are summarized on the CDFA website, cdfa.ca.gov.
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You can reach Sam Jones at 707-256-2221 and sjones@napanews.com.