Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 1
Written by Ioana Sorina GIURCA, Liliana Lucia TOMOIAGĂ, Maria Doinița MUNTEAN, Maria COMȘA, Alexandra Doina SÎRBU, Horia Silviu RĂCOARE, Veronica Sanda CHEDEA
The aim of this study arises from the emergence of new outbreaks producing damage in vineyards from Transylvania and also from the limited amount of updated literature on Pulvinaria vitis, in Romania. The present paper provides an overview of the biology and control of Pulvinaria vitis in the climate change context, because further research is needed, especially on specific regions where it was identified, in order to understand the full range of impacts and to elaborate effective management strategies. In the last few years, wine growers reported the presence of a sticky black residue on the grapevines and a cottony grape scale, which seems to produce economic losses. Pulvinaria vitis has the ability to cause damage by feeding on phloem sap and excreting honeydew on which sooty mold develops, reducing the plant’s capability of respiration, transpiration, and photosynthesis. Additionally, it has been identified as a vector for several grapevine-infecting viruses. Recent climate change appears to be influencing the distribution and life cycle of Pulvinaria vitis and also making the plants more susceptible to pest damage.
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