IMPACT OF LAYERING CONTROL TACTICS ON THE SPREAD OF PIERCE'S DISEASE BY THE GLASSY-WINGED SHARPSHOOTER

• Author(s): Blua, Rick;
• Abstract: Solutions to managing and controlling Pierce's disease of grapes are often conceptualized as ways of breaking at least one two-way interaction among the insect, plant, and bacteria components that are required for successful disease spread and propagation. Hypothetical solutions may also involve altering the abiotic and biotic environment within which these interactions take place. On the basis of our understanding of Pierce's disease epidemics, as well as other insect transmitted plant pathogen systems, one single control tactic (especially focused upon the insect) will not be sufficient to substantially reduce vector populations such that the incidence of disease is below an economically acceptable level. One management and control strategy that potentially may be utilized to limit the damage brought about by Pierce's disease involves layering separate vector and disease management tactics together such that vector population densities are reduced, their interactions with grapevines are inhibited or disrupted, and the interface between grapevines and the disease organism, Xylella fastidiosa, is disrupted. Here we report on our efforts to simultaneously implement (i.e. "layer") various control strategies currently available to limit the spread of Pierce's disease transmitted by the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagula.
• Publication Date: Dec 2002
• Journal: 2002 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium