Mating Disruption as Part of a Control Strategy for Vine Mealybug By CECILIA PARSONS | Associate Editor
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onsidering the breadth of the California wine grape industry, when vine mealybug is tagged as being the most important insect pest, growers take that threat seriously.
Vine mealybug (VMB), Planococcus ficus, was brought into California on infested vineyard cuttings. This invasive pest is found throughout all California wine grape growing regions, with severity of infestation depending on regional climate conditions. When feeding on the sap of grapevines, VMB produces honeydew that contaminates grape clusters with black, sooty mold, degrading the value. A more serious impact is VMB is its ability to transmit grapevine leafroll associated viruses. Control options for VMB are limited due to the phenology of this invasive pest. According to the UC Integrated Pest Management guidelines, VMB life stages can be present year-round in vineyards and multiple generations can be produced. Mating disruption can be used as an alternative or supplement chemical control. It is most effective when insecticides are used first to reduce VMB densities in the vineyard. Mating disruption as part of an ongoing control strategy can suppress VMB populations to lower levels. Andrea Holeman, marketing manager for Suterra, said wine grape growers often do not realize the extent of their VMB infestation until they begin using pheromone lure traps in their vineyards to detect presence of this pest. The traps, yellow sticky cards with the female
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Grape & Wine Magazine
Mating disruption has become a critical part of VMB control strategies in infested wine grape vineyards (all photos by George Zhuang, UCCE.)
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‘Several field trials have shown the use of mating disruption to decrease mating success combined with carefully timed insecticide applications can control vine mealybug.’
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pheromone, are placed in vineyards at bud swell and attract the males.
Pheromones a Viable Tool
Mating disruption has become a critical part of VMB control strategies in infested wine grape vineyards. Lodi
February / March 2023
Wine Growers notes that a variety of chemical and biological controls have been developed to target VMB, but none are completely effective on their
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