Menace Looms: New research shows that leafroll disease is poised to become a huge problem in California vineyards

摘要

RESEARCHERS have long known about grapevine leafroll disease, which has been present in California vineyards since early last century. But until the 1990s, field spread of leafroll was not a problem, and the disease could be controlled by planting virus tested, certified stock. It is not a coincidence that problems arose at the same time as when growers lost AXR rootstock due to phylloxera, and new detection technology was developed, says Deborah Golino, the director of Foundation Plant Services at the University of California-Davis. But in recent years the problem has become much worse, and Golino fears it may explode.