The Phylloxera Fight Protecting South Australia from the phylloxera threat Wally Boehm Winetitles Adelaide 1996 in association with The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia First published in 1996 by Winetitles PO Box 1140 Marleston SA 5033 A USTR A LI A in association with The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia 25 Grenfell Street, Adelaide South Australia 5000 © Copyright 1996 Wally Boehm and The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied or reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Boehm, E.W. (Ernest Walter). The phylloxera fight: protecting South Australia from the phylloxera threat. Includes index. ISBN 1 875130 21 7 1. Phylloxera – South Australia. 2. Grapes – Diseases and pests – South Australia. 3. Grapes – Diseases and pests – Control – South Australia. I. South Australia. Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board. II. Title 634.82752099423 Design and typesetting Michael Deves Printed and bound by Hyde Park Press CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 The Dread of Phylloxera 1 CHAPTER 2 Phylloxera in Australia 13 CHAPTER 3 Phylloxera Legislation 34 CHAPTER 4 Rootstocks and Virus 45 CHAPTER 5 Nurseries and New Varieties 53 CHAPTER 6 Biotypes 58 CHAPTER 7 Vine Introduction Procedure 62 APPENDIX 1 The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Act 1994 71 APPENDIX 2 Vine Variety Introductions to South Australia 75 INDEX 90 Record of Board Membership Chairmen District 2 O.B. SEPPELT 1926–1933 O.B. Seppelt 1926–1933 Keith Leon RAINSFORD 1933–1944 Friedrich William Gursansky 1933–1955 Frederick Walter KAY 1944–1947 O.S. Semmler 1955–1972 B.W. BAGENAL 1947–1952 Ronald S. Schulz 1972–1983 E.M. ELSWORTHY 1952–1962 Peter J. Wall 1983–1985 C.E. STEPHENS 1962–1967 James Irvine 1985–1992 Owen Duncan REDMAN 1967–1989 Trevor J. Wilksch 1992–1995 Ernest Walter BOEHM 1989–1993 Graeme WELLMAN 1993–1994 District 3 William BRAND 1994–1995 W.G. Smith 1926–1930 Johann Andrea Gersch 1931–1955 Secretaries C.E. Stephens 1955–1967 L.N. Salter 1927–1937 H.R. Starr 1967–1972 T.B. Rake 1937–1962 D.G. Perry 1972–1978 George W. Lucas 1962–1967 J.J. Moss 1978–1979 Ralph Skewes 1968–1969 Alan E. Gilgen 1979–1990 Isobel Lucas 1969–1975 Graeme Wellman 1990–1994 Donald J. Cameron 1974–1984 Graeme Thompson 1994–1995 Christine J Ridley 1984– District 4 E.H. Luke 1926–1930 Government Appointees Keith Leon Rainsford 1931–1945 D.G. Quinn 1926–1931 E.M. Elsworthy 1945–1962 G.Quinn 1926–1932 K. Archibald 1962–1967 P.B. Arnold 1967–1979 R.C. Scott 1931–1936 Louis E. McCreanor 1979–1991 J.L. Williams 1936–1947 Willliam R. Wilden 1991–1995 A.G. Strickland 1932–1962 District 5 R.H. Kuchel 1947–1962 Harry H. Showell 1926–1938 T.C. Miller 1962–1978 Thomas Ernest Caddy 1938–1942 E.W. Boehm 1966–1975 J.J. Hatch 1943–1957 R.M. Cirami 1975–1995 H.R. Starr 1957–1971 W.B. Harris 1979–1983 O.R. Thiele 1971–1975 Kenneth G. Schwartz 1975–1989 P.R. Birks 1983–1990 Jon B. Western 1989–1995 P.R. Dry 1992–1995 District 6 P.H. Knappstein 1926–1930 Emil Edward Sobels 1931–1936 Beauchamp Walter Bagenal 1936–1952 H.M. Seppelt 1952–1970 Board Membership by district K.H. Knappstein 1970–1984 Ian Smith 1984–1992 District 1 Anthony Koerner 1992–1995 Frederick Walter Kay 1926–1947 District 7 C. Robertson 1947–1963 Frederick Derwent 1926–1944 P. T. Wait 1964–1964 W.L. Redman 1944–1967 R. J. Ward 1965–1975 Owen D. Redman 1967–1989 Ernest Walter Boehm 1975–1995 William Brand 1989–1995 iv Foreword ince its formation after the Act was proclaimed in South Australia in 1899, the Phylloxera Board Shas played a significant role in the development of viticulture, not only in South Australia but throughout Australia. Funded by the grapegrowers of South Australia, a major role of the board has been to broaden the awareness of the devastation which could be caused by the uneducated or careless if phylloxera were introduced, as has happened in many of the leading grapegrowing countries around the world. A constant program of research and education taken across state boundaries has been significant in keeping phylloxera out of the vineyards of South Australia. The Board’s activities have included the importation of clones and varieties for wine, table and drying grapes and the funding of the development of rootstock source areas as a quick defence should phylloxera be introduced into South Australia. While it will always be argued that the Phylloxera Act of 1899 may have slowed the introduction of new varietal planting material, the grapegrowers of South Australia must be thankful that phylloxera is not present within the state: the actions of the government and grapegrower organisations of the time have served the industry well. It is for this reason that the Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board supports the presentation of this book as a record of the history and the people who have given their time to maintain a vigilance against viticulture’s most feared enemy. A special thanks must go to Wally Boehm who has generously given his time to record and compile the story of the continuing fight against phylloxera in South Australia. Wally has been a familiar face on the Board since 1966 when he represented the SA Department of Agriculture. He later continued on the Board representing the growers of District 1 until the end of 1995, and during his involvement he chaired the Board from 1989 to 1993. The concern and vigilance of Wally against phylloxera is the theme of this book, and for this we offer our appreciation and thanks. BILL BRAND Chairperson The Phylloxera and Grape Industry Board of South Australia Members of the Phylloxera Board 1992: (standing, from left) Anthony Koerner, Bill Brand, Trevor Wilksch, Bill Wilden, Graeme Wellman, Peter Dry: (seated, from left) Jon Western, Christine Ridley (Secretary), Wally Boehm (Chairman), Richard Cirami v Tamworth Taree Dubbo Singleton Newcastle Orange Gosford Bathurst Sydney New South Wales County of Cumberland County of Camden Wagga Wagga Nowra Canberra COROWA Albury Phylloxera infested quarantine area Victoria 300 km Phylloxera quarantine areas in New South Wales and Victoria The only other area in Australia where phylloxera occurs is in the Brisbane metropolitan area (not shown) Jerilderie Tumut COROWA Newell Highway VINE DISEASE Hume Highway Berrigan DISTRICT Walla Walla Holbrook Murray River Savernake Albury NEW SOUTH WALES Yarrawonga MOOROOPNA VINE DISEASE VICTORIA DISTRICT Kyabram Shepparton NORTH EAST Wangaratta VINE DISEASE Tatura DISTRICT Myrtleford NAGAMBIE Benalla VINE DISEASE DISTRICT Tawonga Hume Highway Seymour WHITLANDS Mansfield VINE DISEASE DISTRICT Broadford N 100 km Lilydale Bairnsdale Melbourne The declared phylloxera Vine Disease Districts in Victoria and southern New South Wales vi Chapter 1 The Dread of Phylloxera hat am I going to do now?’ Tears appeared in the eyes of the big man as he was forced ‘Wto contemplate his future now that he had phylloxera in his vineyard. He had no idea where it had come from. Inexplicably, some vines had begun to yellow and look as though they would die. He called in the experts, and phylloxera was found on the roots. Their advice was that the insect would spread outwards slowly year by year, colonising fresh vines which would, in turn, yellow and die over a period of two or three years. Eventually the whole vineyard would be killed, and there was no way of stopping it. The only course of action was to grub out the vineyard and replant it on phylloxera-resistant rootstocks. But, he had exhausted himself planting the first time. He had neither the resources nor the will to begin again. He was finished. Such is the power of phylloxera! It affects people as well as vines. I try to imagine the first reaction to a phylloxera outbreak in South Australia. It would be one almost of terror at the prospect of having one vineyard after another destroyed by a pest that has been regarded with awe for over a century. A frightening aspect of the case is that the presence of phylloxera takes two or three years to show up. In that time the insect is progressively abandoning dying roots and moving out to fresh ones at the rate of about 20 metres, and up to 100 metres, per year.1 During the summer and autumn, some crawlers come to the surface where they can be moved along by vineyard machines, or flowing water, or wind. A crawler has been trapped as far as 20 metres from the nearest infested vine, indicating the capacity for dispersal by wind.2 When the first patch of dying vines is noticed it can be assumed that the insect has already moved on well beyond the borders of sick vines. As soon as phylloxera is positively identified it is the task of the plant inspectors, with the aid of shovels and magnifying lenses, to find out just how far the beast has migrated. During this work they must take great care—by disinfection of shovels and boots—not to carry it any further. At the same time that this task is going on, the quarantine procedure would be set in motion; the affected vines, together with an adequate safety barrier, would be quarantined, signs would be erected, and all traffic out of the area, on wheels or feet, would have to pass through a bath of disinfectant. As vintage approached, consideration would need to be given to how fruit within the quarantined area might be crushed: while trying to ensure the least cost to the grower, care would have to be taken that further spread was prevented.