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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320723
Title: Bridging the gaps between scientific literature and grower perceptions of trunk disease management

Author
item Baumgartner, Kendra
item TRAVADON, RENAUD - University Of California
item COOPER, MONICA - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item HILLIS, VICKEN - University Of California
item LUBELL, MARK - University Of California
item KAPLAN, JONATHAN - California State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2015
Publication Date: 6/29/2015
Citation: Baumgartner, K., Travadon, R., Cooper, M., Hillis, V., Lubell, M., Kaplan, J. 2015. Bridging the gaps between scientific literature and grower perceptions of trunk disease management. Workshop Proceedings. European Union COST Workshop on Sustainable Control of Grapevine Trunk Diseases.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Trunk diseases significantly limit the productivity of California vineyards. Field trials have shown three practices to minimize infection of pruning wounds: delayed pruning, double pruning, and the fungicide thiophanate-methyl (Topsin M). For optimal efficacy, such preventative practices must be adopted in young vineyards with little to no disease incidence, but it is difficult to convince growers to manage trunk diseases in vineyards that appear healthy. Our goal is to develop an outreach program that minimizes the need to resort to the most costly practices. To understand the usage and perceptions of these practices, we surveyed pest control advisors (PCAs) and growers. Our online survey of PCAs revealed their awareness of trunk diseases as a widespread problem in California vineyards. Preventative practices, in spite of being perceived as relatively cost effective, nonetheless were not recommended more often by the PCAs. High disease incidence was correlated with a greater frequency of recommendation for all practices; there was no preference for preventative practices in cases of low disease incidence (i.e., in young, healthy vineyards). To provide convincing evidence for new extension tools that promote preventative practices, we initiated the following projects: spore trapping experiments to demonstrate the risk of infection to young vineyards, economic analyses to evaluate the long-term benefits of adopting preventative practices, and field trials in young vineyards to demonstrate the efficacy of preventative practices.