See:
Apple (Malus spp.) - Replant Disease
Cause This is a serious, common cause of poor grapevine growth when new vineyards are established on sites previously planted to grapevines or with grapevines grown in nursery beds for more than a few years. Vine growth is suppressed the first year and for the life of the vineyard, and vine death may occur if severe disease pressure exists. Vine growth and yields can be lower than that of healthy vines on non-replant sites and could require more inputs, such as water, nutrients, and weed control, to overcome.
The exact cause of vineyard replant disease is unknown. However, it is likely a result of biological factors, including a complex of fungi, oomycetes, nematodes, and grape phylloxera. In addition, nonbiological or management factors including poor soil structure, lack of water, low or high soil pH, insufficient available phosphorus, lack of weed/vegetation control around the vines, and cold stress may exacerbate symptom development. The specific causal factors may vary by geographical area.
There is no effective treatment of replant disease once vines are planted, so attention should be paid to soil conditions and plant material pre-planting. Soil sampling for chemical and nematode analyses is recommended. Determine whether pH adjustments or nutrient additions are necessary before planting. Both soil test results and nematode analysis will help determine specific rootstocks to use for adapting to soil conditions and presence of plant parasitic nematodes.
Symptoms Grape replant disease has no definite symptoms other than poor growth the first few years after planting. Vigorous young vines planted in a problem site stop growing in early summer. Affected vines leaf out each spring but produce little or no shoot growth. Leaves are often smaller and lighter green than leaves on vigorous vines. Few new lateral or feeder roots are produced, and existing roots become brown and deteriorate.
Cultural control
- Avoid planting grapevines where a vineyard has recently been removed.
- If you must replant into previously vineyard land, consider the following:
- Remove as many live grapevines from the land/soil before replanting.
- Rotations of at least one and up to three years is advised to allow eradication of all grapevines and to allow grapevine roots to deteriorate. This may require chemical or manual removal of grapevines that remain from incomplete vine removal.
- Adjust soil pH if too high or low.
- Work the soil to depth to break a hardpan that formed over time and to deal with compaction that formed in the wheel well areas.
- Provide proper management practices including good weed control around the vine, adequate irrigation and fertilization, particularly in the first three years of vineyard establishment.
- Select rootstocks that provide adaptability of the plants to issues with soil pH, salinity, nutrient levels, phylloxera and/or nematode presence.
Chemical control Preplant fumigation is effective and, although expensive, will eventually pay for itself during a typical vineyard lifetime. Consult or hire a professional applicator to be sure it is done safely and effectively.
- Metam-sodium products such as Metam CLR (42%), Sectagon 42, or Vapam HL. Vapam HL can be used at 56 to 75 gal/A. Use in enough water to penetrate only 3 ft. Remove as much vine root debris as possible before application. Vines adjacent to the treatment site may be injured. 5-day reentry. Restricted-use pesticide.
- Telone C-17 at 32.4 to 42 gal/A depending on soil type and depth of penetration. Do not use Telone alone. 5-day reentry. Restricted-use pesticide.
Reference Brinker, A. M., Creasy, L. L. 1988. Inhibitors as a possible basis for grape replant problem. J Amer Soc Hort Sci, 113:304-309.
Waschkies, C., Schropp, A., Marschner, H. 1993. Relations between replant disease, growth parameters and mineral nutrition status of grapevines (Vitis sp.). Vitis, 32:69.
Westphal, A., Browne, G. T. and Schneider, S. 2002. Evidence for biological nature of the grape replant problem in California. Plant and Soil, 242:197-203.