Wood hedgehag

The responsibles of adversity and disease of wood hedgehog are a set of polymorphic viruses transmitted by nematodes, small cylindrical little worms, and the family of the Pseudococcidae, mealybug, including scale insects, which cause deformation in the trunk of the vine (1).

Wood hedgehog has been studied in the 60s from Graniti near Taranto in Apulia (2), may have a major impact to the economy over the vineyards, carrying less fruit on the vines - even half weight -, modification leaf, a slow growth followed by an early death.

This degeneration is manifested mainly on vines grafted on rootstocks; when a vine is affected by this virus, with a significant bulge into slot, involving scion and rootstock, with cracks, holes and trunk excrescence.

Three are the viruses responsible for the infection of so-called wood hedgehog, which give rise to these diseases which involve the conducting vessels and the supporting part. This can cause damage to the functions of photosynthesis and the lack of intake of nutrients, changing the physiology of the whole plant. Hyperplasia, hypoplasia, parenchymatous are symptoms of abnormality involving the xylem and phloem. It has been studied the syndrome "cork bark" on the hybrid LN33. (3)

The variant of Kober instead is guest in the hybrid between "Vitis Berlandieri" and "Vitis riparia", a rootstock selected by the Austrian Kober, and valuable for use in many cultivars.

Rupestris Stem Pitting Virus (RSPaV) is the name of another virus that causes the syndrome, and can combine with earlier damage to the rootstock and scion, although it is always said that show clearly the symptoms that led to the subsequent necrosis plant: these viruses are latent. (4)

Some possible solutions to combat the scourge of wooden hedgehog live in good agricultural practices: Avoid immediate replanting, conversely select rootstocks that are resistant to nematodes.

(1)Searches around particular behaviors of the screws with symptoms similar "wood hedgehog" in Sardinia, Garali, Prota, 1973
(2) Further observations on legno riccio rugose wood, a graft transmittable stem pitting of grapevine, Graniti, Martelli, 1965
(3)Syntomatology and Anatomy of Stemgrooving (Legno Riccio) in the Grape Vine, Kriel, Orffer, Beukman, 1973
(4) Etiologyof “Rugose Wood Complex”. Rosa, Rowhani, 2007