Susceptibility of grape varieties to esca disease

Abstract

In the scion wood mother block belonging to Vivai Cooperativi Rauscedo (VCR) the surveys on esca disease have been performed for decades, and the symptomatic plants are uprooted every year. We hereby present and discuss the survey results relating to a group of vines planted in 1995–2006. The first symptoms of esca appeared in 10–12 year-old vines; only in more recent times the disease has appeared invines of 6–8 years. Esca affects more white grape varieties than black varieties. Within each type of grape,it was possible to identify a number of varieties with lower esca incidence than other varieties, which are affected with a very high incidence, in some cases more than 50% of plants eradicated in the oldest vineyards. The genetic component has proved to be crucial for the varietal susceptibility to expression of esca symptoms; this aspect should be taken into account in the prevention and prophylaxis actions aimed to the limitation of the risks associated with vine trunk decay.