Page 37 - Grapevine July-August 2015

Around The Vineyard

growers. It is likely that Red Blotch disease was
confused with other grapevine disorders that man-
ifest similar symptoms. These disorders include
infection by leafroll viruses or fungal pathogens,
insect feeding damage, vine nutritional deficien-
cies, environmental stresses (freeze, heat, lack of
or excessive moisture), soil conditions, physical
damage (gophers, machine injuries), poor vineyard
management, etc. Not surprisingly, our laboratory
also reported that specific fungi were found in vines
showing symptoms similar to Red Blotch prior to
the discovery of GRBaV.

As soon as GRBaV was reported at the
International Grapevine Virology Congress (ICVG)
in October 2012, Eurofins STA Laboratories devel-
oped a reliable testing method (HealthCheck Panel
RB) to detect GRBaV. During HealthCheck Panel
RB qualification period, we tested a great number
of vines that were infected with GRBaV. We deter-
mined that our method can reliably detect GRBaV
from any portion of the vine, in contrast to others
reporting there are sampling limitations regarding
GRBaV detection. Our laboratory has presented
some of the data at the American Phytopathological
Society (APS) meeting in 2014 and will present
more detailed research at the 2015 ICVG to be
held in Ankara, Turkey. We are confident that
GRBaV can be accurately detected in all tissues:
leaf blades (both mature and new), petioles, green
or lignified canes, as well as cordons and trunks. In
addition, the virus is detectable throughout the dif-
ferent seasons. Consequently, we are able to offer
HealthCheck Panel RB in combination with other
popular HealthCheck Panels (A, B, or PD).

You can always trust Eurofins STA Laboratories
to have the most complete and reliable grapevine
testing program anywhere. We offer a wide menu
of services to the viticulture industry including bac-
terial, fungal, and viral testing as well as disease
elimination using meristem tissue culture. Feel
free to call our lab with questions about red blotch
symptoms or any other general vineyard health
issue. Our website is always a resource with articles
and information on grapevine diseases- please click
on the link: http://www.eurofinsus.com/sta-labora-
tories/grapevineplant-disease/grapevine-disease/ or
call us at (888) 782-5220.

877-892-5332 The Grapevine • July - August 2015 Page 35