You may have heard by now of an invasive insect pest called the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). This damaging pest was found in Pennsylvania in 2014 and has established itself in 17 states since then. It is native to Asia, where it lives in balance with population controls such as parasitic wasps and other predators. Here in the United States, no such controls exist, and the population expands rapidly. The spotted lanternfly (SLF) has done serious damage to vineyards. The story of SLF is intertwined with a particular tree species, also endemic to Asia. The tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is a favored host of SLF, and some researchers point to growing evidence of a dependent relationship between the insect and this prolifically spreading tree. Unfortunately, tree of heaven (TOH) was deliberately introduced to the United States in the 1700’s as an extremely hardy and fast-growing ornamental species.
There are many established stands of TOH here in Napa that will provide prime habitat for SLF in the event the pest is introduced here. Some of these TOH populations are directly adjacent to vineyards, increasing the risk of SLF infestation. It is not likely that a weak flyer like SLF would ever expand its range westward through the many geographic barriers it would face. Rather, this pest will likely make it debut into California as a hitchhiker on a plane, in a car, or as egg masses attached to objects in transfer from infested areas. For this reason, California Border Inspection Stations are on high alert to detect SLF egg masses. Because the SLF threat is so severe, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has established an action plan to facilitate rapid response. The Napa County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office (CAC) has been closely monitoring the SLF/TOH connection and threat potential. Along with plenty of public outreach and education materials, we have been placing SLF detection traps throughout the county since 2020. Very few other counties has actively trapped for this pest. The traps are located in areas of highest risk, including adjacent to vineyards, storage and shipping facilities, rail lines, the airport, and campgrounds. Along with a detection trapping program, we have done a thorough survey of the county, mapping the location of TOH individuals and sapling clusters. This work was made possible by initial grant funding from the State, and on-going funding from the Winegrape Pest and Disease Control District. Napa CAC also inspects all plant material entering the county, along with inspections of materials moved here from high-risk areas. These inspections also look for the egg masses of the Spongy Moth, formerly known as the Gypsy Moth. The Napa CAC will remain vigilant and proactive in facing the double threat of TOH and SLF. If this information has made you want to take action yourself, we’d like to ask for your help in identifying more TOH specimens for a mapping project that allows us to prioritize locations for detection trapping and outreach. Please participate in our survey to help you identify TOH.
0 Comments
Napa Valley Grapegrowers ROOTSTOCK 2023 focuses on a central theme: Weed management in the vineyard10/9/2023 The Napa Valley Grapegrowers announces ROOTSTOCK 2023, to be held on November 6 and 7 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center. This year’s event will focus on a central theme: weed management in the vineyard.
Though weed management in the vineyard is an integral part of the vineyard management system, there is mounting pressure to adapt farming methods to navigate public perceptions. And, as Napa Valley growers continue to strive for viticultural excellence, employing innovative best practices is paramount to increasing quality and sustainability in our vineyards. ROOTSTOCK 2023 is open to the public, and the Napa Valley Grapegrowers hopes the focused format will inspire discussions in an open and collaborative manner. This year’s highlights include:
Who should attend: Viticulturists, vineyard managers, winemakers, enologists, vineyard and winery owners, students, and community members interested in learning more about weed management in the vineyard. Single-day and two-day ROOTSTOCK tickets can be purchased online on the Napa Valley Grapegrowers website. The Napa Valley Grapegrowers hosted its first symposium and exhibition, the Napa Valley Viticultural Fair, in 1990. Now, over three decades later, ROOTSTOCK has evolved beyond a tradeshow format, yet carries on the tradition of delivering top quality education and resources to the wine industry. BAAQMD Ag Burn Extension | June 30 Due to the late rains this spring, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) extended the date growers could conduct agricultural burns for crop replacement or pruning and attrition until June 30. For more information on NVG's Best Practices for Low-Smoke Agricultural Burns, see below. Prescribed Burn Association Community Meetings
The Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is hosting a series of community meetings this summer as the first step in developing a Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) in Napa County. The next meeting will be held via Zoom on June 28 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. If you have any questions or would like to be added to the PBA mailing list, please reach out to Danielle Ashton of the Napa RCD ([email protected]). The University of California Cooperative Extension (Napa) and Tule are building an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to diagnose grapevine virus symptoms. Their goal is to build an app called "Virus Vision" that diagnoses Grapevine Leafroll Disease, Red Blotch Disease, and other causes of red leaves from phone camera pictures.
NVG members can support their app by submitting pictures and virus test results; members who contribute to the data set will receive free and early access to the mobile app. On Friday, October 1, 2021 a total of five glassy-winged sharpshooters (GWSS) were confirmed on two different traps in a residential part of Vacaville, in Solano County. A delimitation survey that began on Saturday, October 2 confirmed some presence of GWSS at several more sites near the initial trap found through a visual survey. All of the finds so far have been in urban, residential settings in Solano County.
The Solano County Agricultural Commissioner’s office & the Pierce’s Disease Control Program are working together on next steps. The Napa County Ag Commissioner’s office will share a press release and any relevant guidance as soon as available. Current protections in place in Napa County include:
NVG will continue to work with the Napa County Ag Commissioner’s office to keep growers informed as we learn more. For more general information on GWSS, visit NVG’s Pest page and Napa County’s website. |
Categories
All
Archives
July 2024
|
|