Prove di risanamento di materiale viticolo affetto da Flavescenza dorata mediante termoterapia

Thermotherapy experiments were conducted on dormant wood of three different grapevine varieties (Cabernet franc, Garganega and Tocai rosso) affected by Flavescence doree (FD). Ripened canes were submitted to hot water treatments: 50C for 45 minutes and 45C for 3 hours. After treatment, rooted cuttings from treated and untreated infected canes were transferred to an insect-proof screenhouse. No symptoms of the disease were observed during the three years of observation on vines obtained from hot water treated material while a high percentage of symptomatic plants were detected among vines coming from untreated canes (50% of the vines belonging to Cabernet franc and Tocai rosso cultivars, and 10.7% of those of the Garganega cultivar): the presence of the phytoplasma, an agent of FD (16SrV-C), was detected only in grapevine plants obtained from untreated canes. Data from the present work indicate that thermotherapy can be an effective practice for FD eradication from grapevine propagating material.