Appendix I.

Pierce's Disease Research and Emergency Response Task Force
Task Force Announcement Press Release

Dr. W. R. Gomes, Chair
Vice President - Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of California, Systemwide

Dr. Donald A. Cooksey
Professor of Plant Pathology
University of California, Riverside

Dr. Donald  L. Dahlsten
Professor of Insect Biology
University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Bruce Kirkpatrick
Professor of Plant Pathology
University of California, Davis

Dr. Joe R. McBride
Professor of Forest Science
University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Joseph G. Morse
Professor of Entomology; Program Leader,
Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of California, Riverside

Dr. Phil A. Phillips
IPM Area Advisor
University of California
Cooperative Extension Ventura County

Dr. Alexander H. Purcell
Professor of Entomology
University of California, Berkeley

Dr. Richard A. Redak
Associate Professor of Entomology
University of California, Riverside

Dr. Neal K. Van Alfen
Dean, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
University of California, Davis

Dr. M. Andrew Walker
Associate Professor of Viticulture and Enology
University of California, Davis

Mr. Edward Weber
Viticulture Farm Advisor
University of California
Cooperative Extension, Napa County

Ex-Officio Members

Mr. Larry Bezark
Senior Environmental Research Scientist
Division of Biological Control
California Department of Food and Agriculture

Dr. Edwin L. Civerolo
Research Leader
USDA, ARS, Pacific West Area
University of California, Davis

Mr. Patrick Gleeson
Executive Director
American Vineyard Foundation

STAFF

Dr. Robert K. Webster
Professor of Plant Pathology
University of California
Davis, CA  95616
rkwebster@ucdavis.edu
530/752-0316

Mr. Steven P. Nation
Director, Governmental and External Relations
Agriculture and Natural Resources
University of California
1111 Franklin Street, 6th Floor
Oakland, CA  94607-5200
steve.nation@ucop.edu
510/987-0036

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 6, 1999

CONTACT:  Steve Nation (510) 987-0036, steve.nation@ucop.edu

UC NAMES TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS PIERCE’S DISEASE PROBLEMS IN STATE

OAKLAND President Richard C. Atkinson announced today (October 6) the appointment of a task force to mobilize and focus the scientific, technical and information outreach expertise of the University of California to help growers combat Pierce’s disease of grapevines.

“Pierce’s disease has cost the California wine and grape industries millions of dollars in lost revenues since it began destroying grapevines in Napa and Sonoma counties several years ago,” said Atkinson. “We are committed to working with the agricultural community to control this threat to a vital sector of the state’s economy.”

The UC Pierce’s Disease Research and Emergency Response Task Force, chaired by Vice President - Agriculture and Natural Resources W. R. “Reg” Gomes, will develop a science-based strategy and set of research priorities to guide the university’s short- and long-term studies for managing Pierce’s disease. The task force also will report on efforts by UC to extend technical assistance to vineyard owners in winegrape growing regions where the disease is a problem.

Pierce’s disease is caused by Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium that kills grapevines by blocking their water transport tissue. Unlike Phylloxera which causes a long, slow decline in production, a vine infected with Pierce’s disease usually dies within two years and produces no crop. X. fastidiosa is spread by insects known as sharpshooters.

UC scientists are engaged in research projects in Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties to control the blue-green sharpshooter, a leafhopper that transmits X. fastidiosa to vineyards near streams and riparian areas. They also are conducting studies to breed resistance to Pierce’s disease in grapes. These projects are jointly funded with the American Vineyard Foundation.

“The stakes have increased significantly with the discovery in Temecula  (Riverside County) of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, a highly mobile insect which threatens to spread Pierce’s disease to vineyards across California,” said Gomes. “If the glassy-winged and blue-green sharpshooters remain unchecked, Pierce’s disease could mean significant economic losses for the state’s wine, table and raisin grape growers, as well as citrus, almonds and ornamentals, which serve as hosts for the glassy-winged sharpshooter.

The California Legislature has proposed a state appropriation of $750,000 per year for the next three years, with a $250,000 a year match from industry, to fund Pierce's disease research. The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) recently established the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter/Pierce’s Disease Task Force to advise the secretary of Food and Agriculture on research needs and ways to control this sharpshooter.

“We will be working closely with CDFA and California’s growers to develop a research agenda that focuses on control and management of the glassy-winged and blue-green sharpshooters and the Pierce’s disease which they spread," said Gomes.  “Eventually, we hope to produce resistance to Pierce’s disease in grapes using genetic technologies.”

The UC task force will provide information and advice to CDFA on research priorities by early November 1999, and a final report to Atkinson by January 1, 2000. Representatives from CDFA, the American Vineyard Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the California Legislature will be invited to participate in UC task force meetings.

In addition to Gomes, UC task force members are:

• Donald Cooksey, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Riverside
  
  

• Donald Dahlsten, Center for Biological Control, UC Berkeley
  
  

• Bruce Kirkpatrick, Department of Plant Pathology, UC Davis
  
  

• Joe McBride, Division of Forest Science, UC Berkeley
  
  

• Joseph Morse, Department of Entomology, UC Riverside
  
  

• Phil Phillips, area IPM advisor, UC Cooperative Extension, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties
  
  

• Alexander Purcell, Division of Insect Biology, UC Berkeley
  
  

• Richard Redak, Department of Entomology, UC Riverside
  
  

• Neal Van Alfen, dean of College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, UC Davis
  
  

• W. Andrew Walker, Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis
  
  

• Edward Weber, viticulture advisor, UC Cooperative Extension Napa County

Robert Webster, Department of Plant Pathology at UC Davis and statewide project director for the UC Viticulture Consortium Research Program and UC California Competitive Grant Program for Research on Viticulture and Enology, will staff the task force.

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For a tip sheet on Pierce's disease research and technical assistance projects involving task force members and other UC scientists please go to: http://danr.ucop.edu/news/July-Dec1999/pierces.html