Evaluation of grapevine propagation protocols against trunk diseases, through a European nursery survey.

A survey covering all aspects of grapevine propagation, including cultural and sanitation practices in mother blocks, nursery operations and practices in nursery fields, was mailed to all Management Committee members of the European COST Action FA1303 "Sustainable Control of Grapevine Trunk Diseases", for distribution through identifiable nurseries in European countries. The main objective was to develop understanding of the current propagation practices and identify those likely to have the greatest impacts on the quality of planting material, especially with regards to the control measures used against fungal trunk pathogen infections. A questionnaire was sent to 546 vine nurseries, and 130 replies were received (response rate, 23.8%). Our study identified several risks of fungal trunk pathogens infection during propagation processes, as well as a clear need for further research into the effects of treatments on grapevine viability. These include hot-water treatments, and the potential for biological agents to control grapevine trunk diseases in nurseries.