Photo courtesy Agriculture Victoria (Rutherglen). adult. of image microscope electron Scanning FACT SHEET

ABOUT PHYLLOXERA

Of the pests and diseases endemic to , our greatest biosecurity threat is grape phylloxera. This tiny destroys by feeding on their roots.

Grape phylloxera (Daktulsphaira vitifoliae) is a devastating soft bodied insect pest of grapevines worldwide, affecting (commercial grapevines and ornamental vines). Phylloxera is In Australia, grape phylloxera is currently native to eastern , first affecting native confined to parts of Victoria and New European in the late 19th century. South Wales. Commercial plantings There have been several hundred genetic strains of in Australia are predominantly own- phylloxera documented worldwide, with Australia rooted Vitis vinifera, highly susceptible to identifying 83 endemic strains. phylloxera. Preventing its movement to currently uninfested areas is therefore of At present, these endemic strains are confined to utmost importance. a number of geographic indications (GI) regions in parts of Victoria and New South Wales (http://www. vinehealth.com.au/media/genotype_australia_2017. jpg). In some regions only a single strain has been detected, but in others, multiple phylloxera strains A LACK OF AVAILABLE CHEMICAL have been found. OR BIOLOGICAL CONTROLS FOR Phylloxera in Australia are thought to be genetically PHYLLOXERA MEANS PULLING OUT identical to their parents as there is no evidence INFESTED BLOCKS AND REPLANTING yet of sexual reproduction occurring. This suggests WITH NEW VINES THAT HAVE BEEN the historical introduction of these separate strains GRAFTED ONTO PHYLLOXERA- of phylloxera and has important implications for RESISTANT IS THE ONLY management of this pest. CONTROL OPTION. THE COST OF GRAFTED VINE MATERIAL The grapegrowing states of South Australia, Western ALONE IS 3 - 5 TIMES THAT OF OWN Australia, Tasmania and Queensland have not ROOTED VINE MATERIAL. recorded phylloxera incursions.

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Page 1 Phylloxera can survive for up LIFECYCLE to 8 days in warm and considerably longer in cooler The phylloxera lifecycle involves conditions without feeding on egg, nymph and adult stages. Adult grapevines. They have poor phylloxera are 1mm long, yellow tolerance for heat and a preference to brown in colour and reproduce for high humidity. asexually. Only one insect is Adults can lay around 200 eggs needed to start an incursion. per cycle and are capable of Phylloxera feed on leaves and/ several breeding cycles per season, or grapevine roots causing death depending on the virulence of of the European grapevine, Vitis the phylloxera strain, nutrition vinifera, within 5-6 on and environmental conditions.

average, dependent on which Populations peak between Phylloxera adults, nymphs and eggs. Photo endemic strain is present. November and March. courtesy Agriculture Victoria (Rutherglen).

Depending on the phylloxera FEEDING strain, leaf galls may occur on the The roots of V. vinifera are leaves of suckers of American Vitis extremely susceptible to attack by . Grapevines grafted phylloxera strains present in to phylloxera tolerant rootstocks Australia. Phylloxera feed by or nursery plantings may show puncturing the root surface, signs of phylloxera on the causing the vine to form galls roots and damage in the form or nodosities on root hairs and of nodosities, however visual swellings (tuberosities) on older symptoms in the do not roots. On the root hairs, these occur, which makes detection galls have a characteristic hook- difficult. shaped form and this damage Grafted vines can sustain

stops the growth of the feeder populations of phylloxera, which Galls on grapevine roots. Photo courtesy roots, ultimately killing the vine. can spread to ungrafted vines. Agriculture Victoria (Rutherglen).

KNOW YOUR STRAIN Soon, the recently identified G38 It’s important to know which strain will be added. Phylloxera phylloxera strain has been found strain-rootstock interaction on your property, in your region or research has shown that other in a region close to you. This than own rooted Vitis vinifera enables an appropriate rootstock which is susceptible to all endemic selection to be undertaken when phylloxera strains, many planting, based on knowledge of rootstocks are tolerant to phylloxera strain-rootstock phylloxera where the phylloxera interactions. Identifying phylloxera can still feed and reproduce on the down to the strain level can also roots but in lower numbers than on help link new infestations to their own roots and therefore the vine source. is not debilitated. Only some Phylloxera strains come from rootstocks convey true resistance genetically different ancestry, are where the phylloxera cannot of different virulence and are develop beyond the first instar to potentially suited to slightly the adult and cannot therefore lay different environmental conditions. eggs. The level of the resistance Current rootstock testing uses six conferred by a particular rootstock of our various endemic strains is dependent on the strain(s) of including G1, G4, G7, G19, G20, G30. phylloxera feeding on the roots.

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Page 2 SIGNS OF INFESTATION spreading pattern as the phylloxera move from vine to adjacent vine Early signs of a phylloxera and from row to row, spreading out infestation include slow and from the roots of the vine where stunted shoot growth and early it was first introduced. Smaller yellowing of leaves as they lose satellite spots also occur when function. Excessive weed growth phylloxera has been accidentally undervine is common. Leaf moved on clothing, footwear or yellowing will normally be seen in machinery. Phylloxera two to three neighbouring vines causes considerable losses in both –usually, but not always, within quality and , the magnitude the same row. In the mid stages of of which is related to vine variety, infestation, an infested vineyard phylloxera strain, moisture and area looks like an ‘oil spot’ in its seasonal temperatures.

HOW DOES PHYLLOXERA SPREAD

Movement of phylloxera in ground from root to root. They Australia is most often attributed may also be carried by wind with to crawlers. These are easily an estimated spread of 25 metres. picked up by clothing, footwear, Natural spread within a vineyard equipment and vehicles (including has been estimated at between harvesters), or in soil and vine 100-200 metres a . Eggs and material (leaves and shoots), wingless adults can also be spread and spread to other in soil, in leaves with leaf galls and and regions causing widespread on planting material (cuttings, damage. Crawlers can naturally rootlings, potted vines). Other spread from vine to vine by movement vectors include crawling along the soil surface, and grape products (unfiltered in the canopy, or crawling below juice, grape marc).

WHERE IS PHYLLOXERA IN AUSTRALIA Grapegrowing regions are Corowa). The major grapegrowing delineated by phylloxera status. states of SA, WA and TAS have not Phylloxera Exclusion Zones have become infested with phylloxera. been surveyed and found free QLD is also thought to be free of or are declared free historically. phylloxera. Phylloxera Risk Zones are of To prevent the spread of phylloxera unknown status. Phylloxera from infested areas, each state has Infested Zones contain vineyards documented their restrictions and known to be infested, currently allowable movements of phylloxera confined to areas in Victoria ‘risk vectors’ in Quarantine (North East, Maroondah, Standards. These ‘movement Nagambie, Mooroopna, Upton conditions’ are underpinned by the and Whitebridge) and New South National Phylloxera Management Wales (Sydney region and Albury/ Protocol.

For further information, refer to Vinehealth Australia’s website www.vinehealth.com.au or phone (08) 8273 0550.

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