Pruning grape vines in wet weather should be avoided as the practice can entice the growth of fungi which causes vine trunk wood rot, according to NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) horticulturist, Leo Quirk, who has organised two free trunk disease workshops next month.

Central west winegrape growers have been invited to invest in the future health of their vines by attending the workshops from 8.30 am until 12.30 pm at ‘Burnbrae’, Hill End Road, Mudgee on Wednesday, July 8 and Young Services Club on Friday, July 10.

Mr Quirk said growers would be able to hear the latest research results from the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) and the University of California, Davis (UCD).

“The workshops will help growers identify and manage wood rot diseases, which have been identified as a major threat to the sustainability of the local wine industry,” he said.

“A 2006-2008 NWGIC survey of 73 NSW vineyards, with wood samples taken from 1789 vines, found bot canker (Botryospheria) was a major cause of vine wood rot and the first cases of eutypa dieback in NSW.

“We recommend growers avoid pruning in wet weather to prevent introducing the fungi which cause the rots and the removal of diseased wood to prevent further spread.

“Once vines are infected with the fungi through pruning wounds there is no cure and left unmanaged trunk diseases reduce production and can kill vines.”

Eutypa dieback has caused annual losses up to US$260 million in California and UCD trunk disease specialist, Jose Urbez-Torres, will update growers on the latest management strategies.

Presentations will be made by NWGIC researcher, Dr Wayne Pitt and NSW DPI horticulturist, Tony Somers, followed by demonstrations of pruning and retraining techniques to rejuvenate diseased vines.

The workshop is supported by the Hilltops Winegrowers Association and Mudgee Winegrape Growers Association and funded through the Winegrowing Futures program, which partners the NWGIC (an alliance between NSW DPI, Charles Sturt University and the NSW Wine Industry Association) and the Grape and Wine Research Development Corporation.

To register contact Rosie Thompson, rosie.thompson@fostersroup.com, 0418 606 963 or 6374 1108 for the Mudgee workshop, RSVP by June 29; Sam Allen, 0422 163 927 or sam.allan@landmark.com.au or sean.brindle@dpi.nsw.gov.au for the Young workshop, RVSP by July 3.

For more information on the workshop and vineyard trunk diseases contact Leo Quirk at the NWGIC, Wagga Wagga, 0411 128 452 or (02) 6933 4074.