Spring steps against grapevine golden yellow disease

The Nébih laboratory has already confirmed the grape golden yellows disease in 18 counties and 21 wine regions in Hungary. The phytoplasma infection is currently most severe in Zala and Veszprém counties. The basis for preventing the disease is the purchase and planting of quality-certified propagation material controlled by the authority. The most important means of prevention and control of infection is effective protection against the American grapevine cicada, which spreads the pathogen. This time, Nébih summarizes the necessary actions to be taken in spring for effective protection.

Do not skip the end-of-winter pruning. At this time, plant parts infected with pathogens and pests must be removed, such as moldy clusters remaining on the canes or the support system, damaged, frost-damaged, and canes and branches that have dried up due to bacterial or fungal infection. Superfluous rootstock or noble variety canes that appear at the base of the vine and on the trunk must also be completely removed. Pruning is usually advisable when the daytime temperature does not drop below 0°C, which is already the case in the early spring months.
During early spring pruning, it is particularly important to collect and destroy the resulting cuttings, as the cicadas overwinter in the form of eggs in the two-year-old parts of the vine, under the bark, and can spread further in the plantation through the cuttings. It is advisable to burn the pruned woody parts in compliance with the relevant fire regulations or to work them into the soil after finely chopping them. The late-winter wash-off spraying also plays a role in thinning out the cicada eggs (along with other pests) that overwinter in the woody parts.

The hatching of the larvae of the American grapevine cicada lasts from mid-May to early July, depending on the weather and the location of the plantation, so it is important to observe the hatching larvae on the underside of the lower leaves of the vine from the beginning of May. At the beginning of the growing season, during green work, it is advisable to remove the unnecessary shoots growing from the lower part of the stem and the trunk, preferably before plant protection treatments. This operation should be repeated regularly in the plantation.

Nébih draws attention to the observance of plant protection regulations. It also requests that suspicions of the disease be reported to the authorities immediately, given that the golden yellow phytoplasma is a notifiable, quarantine pest. All important information regarding the disease and its control is available on the Nébih thematic subpage: https://portal.nebih.gov.hu/amerikai-szolokaboca