Agriculture Victoria is calling for wine and table grape growers in the Yarra Valley to monitor their vines and report any suspected phylloxera.
This comes after phylloxera was confirmed for the first time in two new locations this month, including a commercial vineyard near St Andrews, outside the existing Phylloxera Infested Zone.
Victoria’s Chief Plant Health Officer, Dr Rosa Crnov, is urging growers and property managers in the region to monitor their vines and to report any suspect phylloxera infestations to the department.
Phylloxera is a very small, yellow insect that feeds on the roots, and sometimes the leaves, of grapevines. It can also move to the soil surface and up into the canopy and the fruit.
“If you suspect a vine on your property has phylloxera, you can use the Snap Send Solve application on your smartphone to take a photo for follow up by Agriculture Victoria.
“Agriculture Victoria will then undertake an inspection of the vine to confirm whether it is affected by phylloxera” Dr Crnov said.
Information collected through reports will contribute to a pilot phylloxera surveillance program, which aims to assess the status of phylloxera in the Yarra Valley over the next three weeks.
“Grower participation in the pilot is crucial,” Dr Crnov said.
“Information gained from the pilot will provide growers with information to help them better manage phylloxera on-farm.”
Snap Send Solve is a tool for community members to report issues that need addressing in their community. You can download it from Google Play, the iTunes Store, or by visiting www.snapsendsolve.com.
