88 WINES&VINES April 2018
GRAPEGROWING WINE EAST
industry should be determined. Once sam-
pling is completed and the prevalence of the
virus statewide is known, researchers should
set up research plots in commercial vineyards
to study the effects of the virus on parameters
such as yield, vegetative growth, juice and
wine composition, and cold hardiness, as
well as mode and speed of virus spread and
economical thresholds for disease manage-
ment decisions.
As in other states, the study is targeted to
help growers recognize the impact that the
disease may be having on the Pennsylvania
wine industry and to help them to address
the effects of these viruses on productivity
and fruit quality. The ultimate goal is to re-
duce the spread and impact of the viruses,
and thereby improve the wine grape industry
in Pennsylvania.
Grapegrowers in the northeastern United
States need not feel they are the only ones
with this disease-management challenge (as
is the case with many fungal diseases of
grapes). Grapevine leafroll-associated vi-
ruses are present in vineyards all over the
world and may be an even bigger problem
in those places that depend exclusively on
vinifera grapes for their bread and butter, as
vinifera appears to suffer most from infection
by these viruses compared to hybrid and
native grape varieties.
Bryan Hed is a research technologist at the Lake Erie
Grape Research and Extension Center in North East,
Pa. Dr. Michela Centinari is assistant professor of viti-
culture, Dr. Cristina Rosa is assistant professor of plant
virology, and Joseph Walls III is a Ph.D. candidate (ad-
vised by Dr. Rosa) at The Penn State College of Agri-
cultural Sciences. They would like to thank the
Pennsylvania Wine Marketing and Research Board for
funding the Pennsylvania grapevine leafroll virus study.
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The references for this article are
available online at winesandvines.com/features
A vineyard with several vines displaying the red leaves characteristic of grapevine leafroll virus.
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