Flavescence dorée elimination from dormant wood of grapevines by hot-water treatment

Abstract

Flavescence dorée (FD) and other types of grapevine yellows are serious diseases of grapevines caused by phytoplasmas. FD is spread by a leafhopper species, and it has been shown to be transmitted by using infected cuttings. Data are presented for the effective use of hot-water treatment to eliminate FD. Immersion time has to be increased logarithmically when temperature is reduced linearly. The effective treatments range from 10 h at 40°C to 10 min at 55°C. The eggs of the leafhopper vector of FD, Scaphoideus titanus, are also killed by immersion at 50°C for 45 minutes. This temperature/time combination is recommended for treating dormant cuttings of grapevines for the elimination of FD.