A New NASEM Report Tackles the Threats of Leafroll and Red Blotch

Two major viral disease threats to the sustainability and profitability of the global wine grape industry are grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) and grapevine red blotch disease (GRBD). Both diseases are spread via planting materials and insect vectors. Despite decades of research efforts to manage them, GLD and GRBD continue to spread and cause detrimental impacts, including grape yield reduction, poor grape and wine quality, and reduced vineyard productivity and lifespan.

Recognizing the continued threats that GLD and GRBD pose to the $73 billion per annum wine and wine grape sector in California, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and the California Pierce's Disease/Glassy-winged Sharpshooter Board commissioned the National Academies to conduct a study to review the current state of knowledge on GLD and GRBD, identify knowledge gaps, and propose key research and actions that could help reduce the spread and economic impact of GLD and GRBD.

The National Academies assembled a group of subject-matter experts on insect-vectored plant viruses to work on the study, culminating in the release of the report titled “Advancing Vineyard Health: Insights and Innovations for Combating Grapevine Red Blotch and Leafroll Diseases”. The full consensus study report is available for free download here: https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/27472