Nicol, Stirling, Rose, May and Van Heeswijck Nematodes in viticulture 109 Impact of nematodes on grapevine growth and productivity: current knowledge and future directions, with special reference to Australian viticulture J.M. NICOL1,2, G.R. STIRLING3, B.J. ROSE4,P.MAY1 and R. VAN HEESWIJCK1,5 1 Department of Horticulture,Viticulture and Oenology, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia 2 Present address: CIMMYT International, 06600 Mexico, D.F. Mexico 3 Biological Crop Protection, Moggill, Qld 4070,Australia 4 Performance Viticulture, St Andrews, Vic. 3761,Australia 5 Corresponding author: Dr Robyn van Heeswijck , facsimile +61 8 83037116, e-mail
[email protected] Abstract Grapevines, like most other crops and especially horticultural crops, suffer from attacks by plant- pathogenic nematodes. The types of nematodes found in vineyards and their distribution in Australia and other regions of the world are described, together with an assessment of their impact on vineyard productivity. Relationships between nematode population density and potential damage to grapevines is tabulated, based on published data. Information on reducing nematode impact by means of rootstocks is summarised and also tabulated. Control by other means is discussed, including soil fumigants and nematicides, biological control agents and plants with nematicidal properties. Special attention is paid to improving nematode resistance in rootstocks or even own-rooted Vitis vinifera cultivars by conventional breeding and by genetic engineering. Areas for future research are identified, and we provide conceptual tools plus information for long term control of nematodes in vineyards. Keywords: nematodes, grapevine, Australian viticulture, rootstocks, resistance, plant breeding 1 Introduction reproduction, which can be both heterosexual and Grape production in Australia, in contrast to most other parthenogenetic.