INTEGRATED DISEASE MANAGEMENT
Grapevines are susceptible to a variety of pathogen attacks that cause diseases that reduce the
production and longevity of the plants and adversely affect the quality of the final product (wine
or juice). In some instances, these diseases end up killing the plants. “Having a good knowledge
of the diseases and the ability to identify them correctly is the first step for efficient control”, says
researcher Lucas da Ressurreição Garrido, from the phytopathologist department at Embrapa
Grape and Wine. According to the agronomist, the presence of phytopathogenic fungi in the
vineyard is not enough for the outbreak of diseases, as it requires the presence of susceptible
grapevine cultivars and a favorable environment (temperature andmoisture levels).
“Control measures require more than just the application of fungicides, as this measure
has proved ineffective for certain diseases. The use of other control methods provides for
more efficiency in themanagement of grapevine diseases”, he clarifies. Of the various available
control methods, there are some which have to be executed before the vineyard is established,
like the choice of the planting site, the eradication of the remains from the previous vineyard,
drainage, soil management and correction, and the acquisition of high quality seedlings, from
a genetic and phytosanitary viewpoint.
Other methods should be adopted, as routine procedures at every new crop, in particular, bal-
anced fertilization, so as not to favor certain pathogens; winter treatments for the elimination of
inoculum sources hiding in the buds and bark of the plants and the removal of the parts of the
plants affected by rotting processes internally. Garrido also recommends special protection to inju-
ries caused by pruning, the removal of infectedmaterial from the vineyard and the use of products
that induce resistance, with low toxicity levels. Furthermore, the recommendation is for protecting
the tissues of the plants with fungicides, choosing good application technologies for this purpose.
QUALITY STARTING AT SEEDLING STAGE
The “Superior Quality Seedlings” project, run since 2013 by the Rio Grande do Sul As-
sociation of Grapevine Seedling Producers, and by Embrapa Grape and Wine, along with
the Brazilian Wine Institute (Ibravin), spreads techniques that make it possible to produce
grapevine seedlings of the highest quality. “The success of a vineyard, with the production
of good grapes, starts with seedlings of good quality, which can be acquired at nurseries or
produced at the farm, provided some technical recommendations are complied with”, says
analyst Daniel Grohs, from Embrapa Grape and Wine.
The initiative, conducted by the Viticulture Innovation Agency (Recivitis/Sibratec), fi-
nanced by the Studies and Projects Financing agency (Finep), offers grapevine seedlings of
high phytosanitary quality in Brazil, based on technical improvements to the existing com-
mercial nurseries. A major point approached by the project is the importance for the nurs-
ery owners to acquire genetic material of high phytosanitary and genetic quality, duly li-
censed by Embrapa. At the moment, there are 10 licensed enterprises, across the states of
Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Minas Gerais, Bahia and Pernambuco.
Pest management in grapevines is a chal-
lenge for research. Farmers and researchers
of the Brazilian supply chain face an array of
problems. And things are getting worse be-
cause of the constant arrival of new pests in
the national territory, and there is also the
forecast for unfavorable climate changes, caus-
ing excessively high temperatures and, in con-
sequence, trigger the appearance of insects in
the vineyards. According to agronomist Mar-
cos Botton, researcher at the entomology de-
partment, run by Embrapa Grape and Wine,
the sector is joining efforts to surmount the
difficulties and produce grapes of superior
quality, with the least amount of residues.
Botton maintains that the different
groups of insects could kill the grapevines,
reduce their production, transmit diseases
and cause direct damage to the berries. Such
species as bees and hornets could equally
cause problems to the workers. “In years in
which diseases are not managed appropri-
ately, the incidence of insects at harvest time
is more intense because lots of insects are at-
tracted by the volatile substances liberated by
decomposing berries”, he explains. As the
producing areas are small, and located near
one another, the migration of insects from
other crops to the grapevines is also a cause
of concern, and so is the intense movement
of people in the regions where vineyards are
a tourist attraction, facilitating the introduc-
tion of potential pests.
Although most grapevines grown in Bra-
zil are common varieties (Vitis labrusca), less
susceptible to insect outbreaks, from the be-
ginning of the cultivations the farmers need
to surmount hurdles that appear in the pro-
duction areas. The main pests associated
with grapevines in Brazil are ground pearl,
filoxera, cochineal insect, fruit fly, mites and
defoliating caterpillars, bunch moth and
mites, in the warmer regions. Besides moni-
toring and control of these species, the warn-
ing light is constantly on in viewof the chanc-
es for the arrival of new pests.
According to Botton, the European grape-
vinemoth, pest that is nowspreading through-
out the world, is keeping the sector on the
alert nowadays,mainly because thepest has al-
ready been detected in the neighboring coun-
tries of Chile and Argentina. Another cause of
concern is the possible introduction of the Xy-
lella bacterium, responsible for Pierce’s dis-
ease, once Brazil is home to leafhoppers, vec-
tors of the disease. To face all these challenges,
Embrapa Grape and Wine is betting on differ-
ent projects, like the development of moni-
toring methods through traps and the recent
fruit fly mass trapping technique. Other novel-
ties include insecticides authorized for organic
production systems and toxic baits for keeping
under control ground pearl spreading ants.
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