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Why do the "bird's eye" lesions of anthrax have such a big impact on the grape industry?
Grape Anthracnose, caused by the plant pathogenic fungus Elsinoë ampelina, is a disease that seriously threatens the grape industry. This disease has been shown to affect a variety of plant species, especially grapes and certain blackberries, raspberries, etc. The most distinctive features of anthracnose are "bird's eye" lesions on fruit and sunken black or gray lesions on leaves and branches.
These lesions not only affect grape yields, but also threaten grape quality, causing huge economic losses.
Anthracnose lesions first appear on young branches and expand over time. If this situation is not prevented and treated in time, it may lead to plant death. The impact of this disease is particularly evident during mid-summer, especially in the wine industry where production quality is high.
Host and symptoms
The main host affected by E. ampelina is grapes, especially European wine grapes. In addition, some wild Polygonaceae plants can also be infected. Anthracnose first appears as small, round, red spots that appear as depressions on young leaves and fruits of plants, and may eventually affect the supply and development of the entire leaf.
These lesions have an impact on all stages of grape growth, especially during fruit softening.
Disease cycle
At the end of the disease season, the anthracnose fungus forms hard lumps, usually at the edges of infected lesions. These hard lumps are structures that survive the winter. In spring, as moisture increases, the spores produced by these hard lumps will be scattered by rain and infect new leaves and fruits, leading to the spread of the disease.
It is worth noting that this disease is particularly prone to developing in environments with high humidity and high temperatures, which can have serious consequences for crops.
Environmental factors
Anthrax thrives especially in moist environments. Rain splash accelerates the spread of the disease, and fresh plant tissue is most susceptible. Overgrown vines reduce wind movement, causing plants to stay wet for longer, which also promotes disease development.
Anthracnose is more severe in wet years or in poorly drained soil.
Management strategies
The key to effective control of anthrax lies in hygienic management. Care includes removing infected branches during the dormant period to reduce the source of disease in the spring. At the same time, planting resistant varieties, such as the American ‘Concord’ and ‘Niagara’, can significantly reduce the chance of infection.
During the winter months in early spring, a lime-sulfur solution is often used for disease control to prevent potential disease surges. As the growing season progresses, foliar sprays should be applied regularly to protect new growing tissue.
Importance
The impact of anthracnose is not only that it causes significant losses in appearance, but also affects the economic benefits of the grape industry under various circumstances during the entire growing season. This disease not only makes grapes unsuitable for winemaking, but also greatly affects grape yields, especially during the critical fruit ripening period from July to September each year, thus causing a negative impact on the entire industry.
Faced with this global disease, grape producers should think more about how to effectively manage and prevent the spread of anthrax under changing environmental conditions. What kind of challenge is this?
