- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A few of California's top vintners admit to having smuggled grapevine cane cuttings into the United States to avoid a long wait for the plant to be cleared by USDA, according to an article that moved on the Associated Press wire over the weekend. The article was published in the Fresno Bee, the New York Times and other media outlets.
Some are wondering if what reporter Tracie Cone wrote is a "winked-at act of...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
A group of UC scientists traveled to Chile recently to see firsthand vineyard damage caused by the European grapevine moth, according to an article in the Fresno Bee. The moth has been detected in California's Napa County, and is being actively tracked in the valley to determine whether the infestation has spread.
European grapevine moth was discovered three years ago in Chile. Because the pest develops from larvae to moth at a crucial time in the grape's growth cycle, its effects can be devastating.
"They have lost whole vineyards in Chile; not one grape was picked," UC entomologist
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
As if native weeds, diseases and insects weren't enough, California farmers seem to be facing ever increasing numbers of imported pests from far flung corners of the globe.
That fact prompted the Napa Valley Register to run a story about "Moth wars" which detailed battles underway to combat light brown apple moth, a pest from Australia, and European grapevine moth, an Italian native that has caused serious grapevine damage in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
The European grapevine moth "snuck in under the radar" about the same time agricultural officials were beginning releases of sterile light brown apple moth, the...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources made several appearances in the media yesterday. Separate news outlets
- Reported more sightings of European grapevine moth in wine country
- Charted expanding acreage of olives for oil
- Offered blustery vitriol about changes being implemented by ANR to deal with the economic downturn
According to yesterday's Weekly Calistogan, the number of adult European grapevine moths found in Napa County has risen to eight since they were first spotted last month. Agricultural officials have found 29 larval specimens as well.
Reporter Mike Treleven got...
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
San Joaquin Valley farmers are casting a weary eye up north hoping the new pest doesn't make its way into their vast acreage of wine, table and raisin grapes, according to a story in yesterday's Fresno Bee.
UC Cooperative Extension specialist in biological control, Kent Daane, told the Fresno Bee that experts don't know how the insect immigrated, but he suspects...
