Diseases of grapevine wood (DGW) like Eutypa dieback, Esca or BDA cause serious losses in vineyards. Since 2001 ban of sodium arsenite and carbendazim no active substance or chemical has been approved and registered to tackle the surge of these DGW which jeopardize the sustainability of wine-growing practices.

A gloomy report

According to the “National Observatory of diseases of grapevine woods” a study concerning 753 parcels located in 18 domains including 28 different grape varieties showed that the GWD has increased from 1,6% in 2003 to 4,79% in 2007. Regarding Eutypa dieback a report from the National Observatory points out that 55% of the parcels have at least one vine plant showing symptoms of this disease (average figure between 2003 and 2007). Another study carried out by Larignon shows an increase of BDA on sauvignon’s parcel located in Costières de Nîmes between 2003 and 2009. The rise increased from 5% in 2003 to 19% in 2008 (Larignon, 2009)

New line in DGW research ?

Nowdays research is focusing on Trichoderma atroviride which is a fungus that protects plants from disease-causing fungal pathogens by secreting cell degrading enzymes and antibiotics and by invading and growing within pathogenic fungi to suppress their growth.

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