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Dangers

In the past the natural pest had a great effect on viniculture. By this we mean the vinogradniški zvijač, trtni rilčkar, gozdni sukač, trtna pršica, trtni kapar, črni palež etc. In the mid 19th century the imported vines from America brought some more disease: grozdna plesnoba, strupena rosa or peronospora and trtna uš.

“Grozdna plesnoba is caused by small fungus like pronospera. They spread as small threads in green innards. On the sides of this threads special warps are made which eat trough the soft organs especially in grapes where they pump the juice out. Because all the juice is pumped out the grape can not grow. It stays small and eventually dries out. This is the way the mildew destroys all the product.”

“Strupena rosa or peronospora is a fungus that pumps the juice from leafs and grapes. The fungus is on the top of the leaf and eats trough to the bottom and forms it self as a stack of threads. There is where the semen grows and eventually falls on the lower leafs where it continues destroying. The leafs fall of early, the grapes do not mature, the vine gives a small product.”

“Wine louse kills the vine by pumping the juice from the roots. Because millions of lice colonize one vine the vine dies in few years. From an infected vineyard louse can quickly spread on boots, with tools or flying from vine to vine.”

It was written by Frančišek Gobač in his book Novo vinogradništvo.

Hail can also be mentioned as a “pest”. In hot summer days hail can destroy all the crops and the vineyard in mater of minutes. In the past it was thought that clouds can be drawn away if shot at. But because it wasn’t scientifically proven shooting soon ended. New insurance offices were founded as a substitute. If the vineyard was destroyed in the hailing, than the wine-growers get the money for renewal.

Renewal of vineyards

In the past wine-growers have mainly decided to renew the vineyards because of disease and pest which destroyed the vineyards. A big destruction was caused by lice. When vineyards were renewed the wine-growers used vines which were mixed with American sorts and therefore more resistant against to lice. The government supported farmers with interest-free loans and free vines. Individuals, communities or co-operatives, agricultural or viniculture association could get the loan. The loans were to be returned in 10 – 15 years.

Today not many vineyards are renewed. In the year 1998 only 19 wine-growers renewed 2.2 ha of vineyards. In the year 1999 even less, only 6 wine-growers (0,66 ha). For the year 2000 only 12 wine-growers requested for governmental subvention (1,67 ha). The cause for small renewals is because the vines are more resistant against diseases and pest.

author: Darjan Zlobec