Watch Out For These Grape Disorders

Even the fruits blessed by the Greek gods are not immune to diseases that can wipe out the entire vineyard or adversely change their flavor. Grape diseases are plentiful and when left unattended can ruin your crop. If you want to learn how to grow grapes, one of the most important things you can do is watch out for any signs of illness in your grapes.

You need to be aware of the different kinds of diseases since each one will have there own specific method of treatment. The first step to treating a grape disease is the identification and diagnosis of it.

Anthracnose

This is a fungal disease (Elsinoe ampelina) that mostly affects the fruits although other parts like the leaves, shots and stems are also attacked. It's first signs are dark spots that then progress to ashy-gray on the berries while the young shoots become dead and the leaves become disfigured.

Black Rot

Black rot is another type of disease caused by fungus that attacks all parts of the growing grapes. Unfortunately, the first symptoms can only be seen within 10 days after the first infection has started, thus, possibly making for elimination difficult. Tiny brown dots that eventually turn black are characteristic of this disease. Rainy weather can spread the infection throughout the vineyard very quickly.

Crown Gall

This disease caused by a bacteria affects both the roots under the ground as well as the vine's stem. It appears as hard brown to black gall almost to the size of walnuts. Fumigation of the soil is a common treatment for crown gall.

Dead Arm

This is one of the grape diseases that affect all parts of the plant from the shoots and branches to the fruits and leaves. The symptoms are similar to black rot except that rotted tissue has a lighter color and the pycnidia are larger albeit lesser in number. The name comes from the fact that all the affected parts eventually die from the fungal infection.

Downy Mildew

It's easy to spot this disease since the affected parts of the plant become covered with a white substance that looks like down but is actually a fungus. The first signs of this disease are seen as yellowish-green spots on the upper face of the leaves. It then subsequently spreads to other parts of the plant. All the leaves can fall once this disease really takes hold of the plant.

Powdery Mildew

Downy mildew and powdery mildew are two grape diseases that are often mistaken for each other. However, it's actually caused by a different fungus. This fungus impairs the growth of the grape vine stems and leaves. The fruit berries appear dull and darkened with a light powdery growth.

Other diseases in the vineyard include gray mold and nematode growth, which are also of great concern for the farmer. Grape diseases are very dangerous and care must be taken to prevent them from destroying your hard work, causing loss of time, money and frustration. If you are a lover of wine, then it's important to be aware of the love and sacrifice of the grape farmer that was required to produce that bottle of wine you are now enjoying.