A Comparison between Grape Degeneration in Florida and Pierce's Disease in California
1952; Florida Entomological Society; Volume: 35; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2307/3492278
ISSN1938-5102
Autores Tópico(s)Plant and Fungal Interactions Research
ResumoEarly Spanish settlers in the 16th century became familiar with the native Florida grapes. The wild grape plants grew profusely, and, because of this, they made plantings of the European grape, Vitis vinifera L., that they knew so well. These plantings failed and, by and large, one might say this has remained the history of the European grape in Florida to this day. Many attempts to grow grapes on a commercial basis in Florida have been made since these early times. DePass in 1891 had 60 varieties on trial near Lake City. They all soon failed. Varieties of the species Vitis labrusca L. were also tried at this time, but they did little better and were soon gone. By 1894 a considerable grape industry had been built up in the state and perhaps more than a thousand acres of grapes, mostly the variety White Niagara, were planted. It must have indeed seemed at this time that viticulture was at last established in Florida. However, these plantings began to fail and in less than a decade were gone. This period closely coincides with the time that a called California vine disease, mysterious vine disease, or Anaheim disease was killing thousands of acres of grapes in southern California. The grape growers in Florida were able to interest the Federal Government in their problem in 1899 and grape tests were started at Earlton, Florida. These tests were being made by Baron van Luttichau almost concurrently with those of Pierce in California, who was attempting to solve the problem of California vine disease there. The Florida plantings of Luttichau failed but they did indicate that certain rootstocks were beneficial, and that the Munson Texas Hybrids were of some value here. By this time Pierce had made extensive studies of the California vine disease problem and reached the conclusion that the condition in California was not due to soil types, or cultural practices. He also believed the vine disease was not being caused by a fungus or bacteria but was due to some obscure contagious disease producing agent that was spreading through the vineyards. By 1900 the incidence of California vine disease, which
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