Grapevine pests in Sicily

Abstract

More than twenty phytophagous species are reported associated with Sicilian vineyards. Only a quarter of them have to be considered of economic importance. Among moths, the grapevine moth Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) is certainly the most frequent species. It is considered the key pest on both table and wine grapes, while the incidence of the grape berry moth Eupoecilia ambiguella (Hübner) is scarce and linked to particular biotopes. Three to four flights are reported for the grapevine moth from February-March to October-November, while no data are available for the grape berry moth. Damages caused by L. botrana are strictly linked to the climatic trends during the summer period, to the microclimatic conditions in the island biotopes, as well as to the micro climate created by the canopy, or to the different grape-clusters of the various cultivars. The cicadellid Jacobiasca lybica (Bergevin) was reported for the first time in 1962, but it is considered an old inhabitant of Sicilian vineyards. Until 1990s it was present mainly on the western part of the island and it was considered of no economic importance for the autochthonous cultivars. Today the cicadellid is distributed on the whole island and often causes severe damages especially on allochthonous cultivars. The mealybug Planococcus ficus (Signoret) has to be considered a serious problem in Sicilian vineyards as in the past two decades an increase of infestations was registered, particularly on new plantings. No data are available up to now on the biology of the species in Sicily, while its presence causes serious concerns for both damages to yields and virus transmission. Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa), recorded in Sicily at the beginning of the XX century, is now considered another emergent problem in Sicilian vineyards, on both autochthonous and allochthonous cultivars, especially on newly planted vineyards.