Project

WinEsca

Location

Published on 4/12/23 | Modified on 4/14/23

Pau, France, IPREM research institute / IBEAS building
Institute of Analytical Sciences and Physical Chemistry for the Environment and Materials

Facts

Published on 4/12/23 | Modified on 4/26/23

Duration: 2022-2026

Financial contribution: €3.83M

  • ANR: €1.2M
  • UPPA/CNRS: €871,000
  • Hennessy: €800,000
  • GreenCell: €400,000
  • Other partners: €558,000 (University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux INP, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, INSERM, INRAE, University of Reims Champagne Ardenne)

Organization

  • Project holder: University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA)
  • Project coordinators: Patrice Rey and Eleonore Attard
  • Science: 8 international research units and 36 people involved
  • Voir la page en français

The Winesca Project

Published on 4/14/23 | Modified on 4/26/23

The WinEsca project, being based on the main findings obtained in a first ANR industrial chair, GTDfree, allow us to propose agroecological plant protection solutions that would be shortly applied at the end of the new chair.

Determining the best pruning methods

Severe pruning methods of grapevines having a strong influence on Esca, the WinEsca chair is focused on determining, and showing, that some cultural methods are safer than other for the plants.

To ensure long-term grapevine health, wood necrosis development within the plants and the ensuing deleterious effect on sap-flow, have to be significantly reduced. This will be achieved by demonstrating the cultural and economic benefits of adopting sound pruning practices in a timely manner on plants of various ages (young and mature grapevines). Experimental demonstration is critical to convince winegrowers to apply appropriate pruning methods.


Eliminating white-rot fungi

Another relevant method could be biocontrol, because the wood of grapevine is colonized by many microorganisms, some of them having potential biocontrol activities.

We will seek to cure Esca-diseased grapevines by specifically targeting white rot, a wood necrosis whose extensive development is associated with sap-flow disorder several weeks before the onset of Esca-leave symptoms and which used to be treated by arsenate.

White rot will be studied on mature Esca-diseased grapevines and treated with biocontrol agents (BCAs) such as bacteria, fungi and/or oomycet. The consequences in terms of protection, plant physiology and side-effects on the native microbiota inhabiting grapevines will also be analyzed.

 

Economics and acceptance of new solutions

Economics will also be investigated, as shown in GTDfree by the economic relevance of the curettage solution. This method is efficient to cure Esca-diseased grapevines but, due to side effects on plants, its acceptance and adoption by winegrowers are key issues.

 

The WinEsca strategy, based on the combination of complementary agroecological protection approaches to preserve healthy grapevines and to cure Esca-diseased plants, is designed to offer viticulturists relevant methods for controlling Esca that are fully adapted to environmentally-friendly viticulture.