How to Manage Pests

Seasonal development and life cycle—Eutypa dieback

Because Eutypa lata is a wound parasite, infection invariably occurs through pruning wounds. The fungus has a long incubation period in the vine. Several growing seasons may elapse before visible cankers develop around an infected wound or before stunted shoot symptoms appear. Once an arm or portion of the vine has been killed, it takes several more years before spore sacs are produced on the old infected host tissue and then only under conditions of high moisture. Spores are discharged during and soon after rainfall; this is the only known means of dispersal and infection.