Project WINETWORK: Identification and dissemination of innovative control strategies for management of flavescence dorée and grapevine trunk diseases

Flavescence doree (FD) is a grapevine disease that spreads epidemically if not managed properly and implementation of control strategies is mandatory in most European winegrowing regions. Overall accepted strategies applied in FD management are based on vector monitoring, insecticide application and removal of infected vines and secondary hosts. Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) involve a large number of xylem-inhabiting fungal species predominantly associated to botryosphaeria dieback, esca and eutypa dieback. Control strategies for GTD management are based on preventive techniques that minimize new infections. Both FD and GTD cause significant economic losses in European vineyards. Innovative practices and good management practices developed by scientists and winegrowers need to be disseminated and adapted to regular control strategies to maintain vineyard sustainability. Project WINETWORK is developing the innovation-driven methodology, which promotes the exchange of knowledge between science and practice. This network is implemented in ten winegrowing regions, within seven European countries. The methodology is built on a network of winegrowers and regional experts gathered in regional Technical Working Groups, Scientific Working Groups (one for each disease), and regional Facilitator Agents that stimulate their interaction. Bottom-up approach applied in WINETWORK includes surveys, conducted and synthesised by Facilitator Agents, to identify winegrower’s innovative practices, while scientists revise scientific data and adapt it to dissemination and practical use. Dissemination is adapted to different stakeholders and includes a summary of relevant practical and scientific knowledge available through the knowledge reservoir, newsletters, workshops, video clips, technical presentations, multimedia tools, etc. Overall objective of WINETWORK is to foster the exchange of scientific and practical knowledge to increase the productivity and sustainability of the sector and identify needs from the field and innovative solutions for future research agenda.