A POWERFUL, PROACTIVE APPROACH TO FIGHT INVASIVE PESTS AND DISEASES
Rapid globalization is fundamentally changing grape growing practices. In the face of expanding imports of invasive pests and diseases from around the world and nation, California’s winegrape growers today rely on the innovative growergovernment partnership created two decades ago. The Pierce’s Disease/Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter Board is the winegrape growers’ most powerful and innovative approach to rapidly and proactively respond to emerging pest and disease threats—a program that has matured faster and progressed further than anyone could have anticipated when growers established it afterTemecula vineyards were decimated in the 1990s. Field trials are showing promising results, PD-resistant winegrapes and other control techniques are headed toward commercial a vailability, and research continues to search for practical and sustainable solutions and control methods for PD, GWSS, and other serious w inegrape pests and d iseases. Through it all, the PD/GWSS Board, guided by winegrape growers and vintners from around the state, ensures that assessment funds are spent wisely and productively.
PARTNERSHIP FOR WINEGRAPE PEST SOLUTIONS
Growers’ decision 20 years ago to fund research to protect their industry opened the door to a grower-government partnership that is paying dividends today. Thanks to statewide containment and management efforts funded by the federal and state government, GWSS has largely been prevented from spreading to new areas. This has given researchers time to search for long-term, sustainable solutions to PD/GWSS, supported by funds collected via the PD/GWSS Winegrape Assessment. By sharing responsibility, this partnership effectively addresses the pest and disease challenges facing California winegrape growers.
WHERE IT COMES FROM
HOW IT IS SPENT
Federal Dollars State Dollars Industry Dollars
Federal Program Operations State Program Operations Research Other
RESEARCH AT WORK FOR YOU
The Board has made extensive progress investing in research that protects vineyards, prevents spread and delivers practical and sustainable solutions. The consistent, reliable research funding made possible by the PD/GWSS assessment means our industry supports leading scientists dedicated to PD and other serious pests and diseases threatening winegrapes. The rapid progress made in finding a solution to PD, from the start of research to field trials, has been unparalleled. Extensive research efforts since the program started have delivered many potential solutions to PD that are already undergoing field trials. Promising results from these field trials may lead to commercial applications that could ease the statewide threat of PD.
$45.4 MILLION FOR RESEARCH SINCE 2001
$34.3 million for PD/GWSS research $6.3 million for other pests and diseases $2.9 million for field trials $1.2 million for insecticide studies $0.46 million for grapvine tissue culture and transformation $0.29 million for economic analyses
BOARD-FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS FOR 2019-2020: PIERCE’S DISEASE AND GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER
In today’s global economy, California’s wine industry is constantly under
Winegrape assessment funds have supported research and outreach on
the threat of new pests and diseases. Quick action is essential to eliminate
other serious pests and diseases of winegrapes, including:
emerging threats. The PD/GWSS Board and assessment gives the wine-
• European grapevine moth (EGVM)
grape industry the ability to respond rapidly, without the need for additional
• Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
legislation or other delays. This puts key decisions for funding research and
• Mealybugs
outreach in the hands of the winegrape growers.
• Grapevine red bloth (GRBaV)
A remarkable success which the PD/GWSS Board participated in was the
• Grapevine leafroll disease
eradication of the European grapevine moth from five counties within one
• Grapevine fanleaf disease
year of its detection. This fast response saved the winegrape industry hundreds of millions of dollars in crop loss, treatments, and loss of markets.
BOARD-FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS FOR 2019-2020: OTHER DESIGNATED PESTS AND DISEASES
• A study on the impact of individual and mixed leafroll infections
on the metabolism of ripening wine grape berries. • Biology and role of treehoppers in grapevine red blotch disease. • Ecology of grapevine red blotch virus . • Education and outreach for the Grapevine Certification and
Registration Program, and an assessment of recently established production blocks. • Effects of grapevine red blotch disease on flavor and flavor
precursor formation in the grape and on wine quality. • Grapevine virus management in Lodi: a collaborative research
and integrated outreach effort to help solve a statewide challenge. • Identification of grape cultivars and rootstocks with resistance
to vine mealybug. • Improved understanding of virus transmission and management.
of key vector(s) associated with grapevine red blotch virus.
• Improving extension outcomes: identifying drivers and barriers
to adoption of management practices using leafroll and red blotch disease as model systems. • Resistance to grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 and the
grape mealybug. • Seasonal ecology and transmission efficiency of three-cornered
alfalfa hopper and other novel insect vectors of grapevine red blotch associated virus. • Structure-function studies on grapevine red blotch virus to elucidate
disease etiology. • Timing of field transmission of grapevine red blotch-associated virus. • Understanding symptomology and physiological effects of red blotch
disease in vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. • Virus-based delivery of interfering RNAs targeting grapevine
leafroll-associated virus(es) and associated mealybugs.
PRIMED FOR NEW THREATS
In today’s global economy, California’s wine industry is constantly under
Winegrape assessment funds have supported research and outreach on
the threat of new pests and diseases. Quick action is essential to eliminate
other serious pests and diseases of winegrapes, including:
emerging threats. The PD/GWSS Board and assessment gives the wine-
• European grapevine moth (EGVM)
grape industry the ability to respond rapidly, without the need for additional
• Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB)
legislation or other delays. This puts key decisions for funding research and
• Mealybugs
outreach in the hands of the winegrape growers.
• Grapevine red bloth (GRBaV)
A remarkable success which the PD/GWSS Board participated in was
• Grapevine leafroll disease
the eradication of the European grapevine moth from five counties within
• Grapevine fanleaf disease
one year of its detection. This fast response saved the winegrape industry hundreds of millions of dollars in crop loss, treatments, and loss of markets.
TWO DECADES OF SUCCESSES
20 YEARS since the PD/GWSS combination first devasted vineyards in
000 of research projects since 2001.
Temecula Valley and was poised to spread statewide 6 pests and diseases
3 MILLION number of PD-resistant winegrape vines and roots headed
designated as serious threats, including, European grapevine moth (eradicated
toward commercial availability.
in 2016), grapevine red blotch disease, brown marmorated stink bug, mealy-
$32 MILLION spent on Pierce’s disease and glassy-winged sharp-
bugs, grapevine leafroll disease and grapevine fanleaf disease.
shooter research.
$1.42 PER $1,000 of crop value annual California winegrape grower
$4.9 MILLION spent on research for other pests and diseases.
assessment rate average.
$2.8 MILLION spent on PD field trials.
$66.87 MILLION total revenue from the California winegrape
$1.2 MILLION spent on insecticide studies.
assessment since 2001.
15 Pierce’s Disease Research Symposia held to bring together leading
$20 MILLION a year in federal and state funding to control and prevent
researchers to share new ideas & research progress.
the further spread of GWSS.
2.66 MILLION biological control agents released at agricultural, ripari-
$45.4 MILLION total spent on research by the PD/GWSS Board since 2001.
an, and urban sites in 16 California counties.
$3 MILLION+ of winegrape grower assessment dollars are spent each year on research and other efforts to find solutions to PD and other pests and diseases.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: CDFA PD Control Program—www.cdfa.gov/pdcp PD/GWSS Board—www.pdgwss.net Pierce’s Disease Research—www.piercesdisease.org November 2019 | Printed on 100 percent recycled paper