By JESSE GRAHAM
A RECENTLY announced research project will put a wine bug in its crosshairs, with hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent to stop the spread of the pest through the valley.
On 10 July, the Victorian Government announced a two- year research project to protect the Australian wine industry from phylloxera.
Phylloxera, a bug that lives in grapevines and can kill the plant, is currently present in a number of vineyards around the Yarra Valley, spanning from Lilydale through to Dixons Creek, Healesville and Gruyere.
The research project, which is worth $580,000, is funded equally by the Victorian Government and the Australian Grape and Wine Authority (AGWA).
Researchers will attempt to identify the best disinfestation techniques, and strengthening methods of containing phylloxera.
Wine Yarra Valley CEO Richard Howden said he was happy to hear about the new research project, as the pest was difficult to remove once it entered a vineyard.
He said that the bug could be combatted with resistant vines being planted, or by removing infested vines, but that few other ways were known to remove the pest.
Because of this, Mr Howden said that winemakers in the Yarra Valley had stringent procedures to stop the bug spreading into new areas.
“The key is not to transfer it,” he said.”
“We have appropriate phylloxera management protocols in place to limit or stop the spread of phylloxera,”
Methods to contain the bug include thorough cleaning of all equipment and clothing brought into vineyards, and controls on moving grapevine materials, which may contain the bug.
Mr Howden said that phylloxera infestations had no impact on the quality of wines produced, but could have a financial impact on winegrowers, who had to replace infested vines.
“It’s something we need to be aware of, and something we need to help manage, but it’s not an immediate, devastating issue,” he said.
The project will be run by the Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI), and will be led by principal research scientist and phylloxera authority, Dr Kevin Powell.
Mr Howden said that Dr Powell had visited the Yarra Valley recently to run a seminar on the pest, and talk about its containment.
For more information on the research project, visit www.depi.vic.gov.au/phylloxera.
