Phylloxera on grapes: aphid control, resistant varieties and prevention

Harvesting a high yield of grapes is not as easy as it seems at first glance. Only winegrowers know what problems can be encountered in the process of growing fruits. In the first place is the fight against diseases and the destruction of insects. Phylloxera is an aphid on grapes that infects the entire plant. By recognizing the pest in time and taking the right control measures, the vineyard can be saved. Phylloxera was introduced from North America in the late nineteenth century.

Description of the pest

Phylloxera is a type of aphid. She looks different. Appearance depends on gender, age, stage of development, location of the pest.The largest in size is a sexless female settler with wings. A smaller, wingless female that damages the root system. She has a long trunk. The color is yellow with a brown tinge. The female is half the size of the leaf, with a short proboscis, yellow in color.

The sizes of males and females involved in the reproduction of offspring are even smaller. Proboscis and wings are absent. Females are yellowish, males are orange. The smallest is the first instar larva. Lemon color, with external digestion.

Views

There are several types of phylloxera. Among them stand out: wingless, winged, sexual, gallic.

Wingless

Aphids infect the roots of the bush. Hardy larvae hibernate underground. In the spring they become active, reborn into females with a long proboscis. With it, they feed on root juice. Harmful substances in saliva infect the rhizome through the proboscis.

Winged

Winged phylloxera infects the green part of the grapes, lays eggs on the leaves. The emerging aphids mate, promoting the emergence of the sexual generation of larvae.

Genital

The sexual generation of larvae moves from an infected plant to a he althy one. Dispersed by wind, irrigation water, rain.

Gallovaya

The gall form spreads on young leaves. Phylloxera form tubercles on the leaves, from which the larvae emerge. Pests move from leaf to leaf, infecting the plant.

Vine aphid development cycle

There are two cycles of phylloxera development.

Full

Typical for American varieties, the full cycle begins in the spring. The larva, emerging from the winter egg, crawls onto the leaf, sticking to it. The root species of the pest partially emerges from the formed gall. Aphids descend underground and continue to damage the rhizome.

In August, some of the larvae transform into winged forms that lay their eggs on the bark of the plant. After winter, the cycle repeats.

Incomplete

On European varieties, aphids develop in an incomplete cycle. Infection begins immediately from the roots. Larvae emerge from the eggs laid by the female. Moving underground, they infect new bushes. In autumn, most of the pests die. Overwintered larvae of the first generation continue to breed next year.

Causes of phylloxera

The cause of grape phylloxera is an infected seedling, an incorrectly selected variety for a given climate. Soil composition also matters.

On what soils does aphid infestation occur?

Loose soil is great for pest breeding. Sandy soil adversely affects phylloxera.

Conditions for the development of a parasite on grapes

Aphids reproduce well on varieties that are highly susceptible to this disease. Basically, these are European species. In young vineyards with shallow roots.

Phylloxera is well adapted to all weather conditions

Methods of distribution

The first method of distribution is passive: wind, heavy rains, which entail rain, mud flows.

Second - by humans: the use of contaminated garden tools, stakes, on shoes, when acquiring a plant affected by pests.

Third, independent movement of parasites.

Disease forms and characteristic features

There are several forms of the disease.

Root

To identify the infection of the roots of grapes with phylloxera, it is necessary at the end of July to free the upper part of the root system from the soil and carefully examine it.

An infected root has the following symptoms: small swellings have appeared on thin roots, and clusters of aphids are visible on large roots. The root dries up, the bark crumbles.

Leaf

The leaf form is much easier to detect than the root form. If spherical, convex, rough spots appear on the leaves on the inside of the leaf, this is a sign of the first infection.

Winged

The winged aphid also attacks leaves by laying eggs on the inside of the leaf.

What is the danger of infection for grapes

Phylloxera is very dangerous for grapes. If the fight against this pest is not started in time, the young shrub will die within three years.

Impact on crop

In the infected vineyard, most of the berries do not ripen, the yield decreases.

Danger for the bush

The aphid that settled on the plant sucks the juice out of it, damages the protective layer of the plant, and causes infection. After that, the decay process begins. The bush gradually fades, growth slows down, there are more infections, the plant dies.

Tools and materials for pest control

Destroy the pest mechanically, biologically, chemically. The mechanical method is the most laborious. Affected parts are removed by hand and burned. Insects are washed off with a stream of water from a hose. Affected plants are uprooted, subsequently treating the soil with chemicals.

As a biological agent, parsley seeds are sown around the vineyard and between plants. The smell repels insects.

When aphids appear, systemic chemicals are used to spray plants.

Folk methods of struggle

For the prevention and control of the pest, you can resort to the use of folk remedies.

Iron vitriol solution

1. In ten liters of water, dilute 300 grams of iron sulfate. Treat the shrub with the resulting solution in early spring.
2. To destroy the root aphid, a groove is made around the bush. A composition prepared from 10 liters of water and 500 grams of iron sulfate is poured into it. After the earth absorbs the solution, fill the groove with earth.

Slaked lime spraying

In autumn, after harvesting, you can fight phylloxera with slaked lime.

In ten liters of water, dilute half a liter of lime, add half a liter of diesel fuel. Process the grapes with the resulting solution.

Herbal infusion treatment

If the aphid was found at the initial stage of development, herbal infusion will help get rid of it.

It is necessary to take 200 grams of the following herbs: chamomile, wormwood, shag, tobacco. Pour herbs with five liters of boiling water, leave for 10 hours. Dilute the strained broth in 20 liters of water. With the prepared infusion, you can spray not only the bush, but also the soil.

Chemicals

If aphids have been found on vine leaves, cleaning should be done before treating the affected bush with chemicals. To do this, it is necessary to conduct a thorough inspection of the plant and remove damaged greens. After burning it.

Treat the cleaned bush with any of these preparations:

• pyrethroids;
• phosphororgonic compounds;
• neonicotinoids.

Following the instructions, dilute the drug and spray the green part of the bush.

If the root is infected, it is necessary to treat the soil with carbon disulfide. Seventy milliliters per square meter.

Preventive measures

Getting rid of phylloxera is very difficult, almost impossible. Therefore, it is worth devoting more time to preventive work. To avoid purchasing infected grapes, do not buy from strangers in spontaneous markets.

Before planting, the seedling should be immersed for several minutes in a weak solution of an insecticidal preparation.

It is worth paying attention to the soil in which the grapes will grow. Sandy soil can serve as a good protection against aphids. In such soil, phylloxera quickly dies, and the roots practically do not rot.

If it is not possible to grow grapes in sandy soil, when planting, you need to dig a hole deeper than usual, fill the bottom with sand.

Seedlings are planted at a sufficient distance from each other for good ventilation. For prevention, grapes should be treated with fungicides and insecticides. The first spraying is carried out in the spring, after the appearance of leaves. The next treatment is before flowering. The final spraying is carried out after the formation of ovaries.

Ranking of phylloxera resistant varieties

If you choose varieties from own roots, more resistant are: Krasnostop AZOS, Kubanets, Cabernet AZOS.

With proper care, varieties have good immunity to the disease: Muscat, Chocolate, Nugget, Moldova, Antey.

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