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UGA Extension Viticulture Blog

Phil Brannen

Phil Brannen

Phil Brannen is a Professor in the Plant Pathology Department at the University of Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia for his undergraduate degree in Plant Protection and Pest Management, where he also received an M.S. in Plant Pathology, followed by a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Auburn University. He has extensive experience with disease management programs in numerous cropping systems. He serves as the extension fruit pathologist for Georgia – conducting research and technology transfer for multiple fruit commodities. His efforts are directed towards developing IPM practices to solve disease issues and technology transfer of disease-management methods to commercial fruit producers. He also teaches the graduate level Field Pathology Course, the History of Plant Diseases and their Impact on Human Societies Course, team-teaches the IPM Course, coordinates the Viticulture and Enology in the Mediterranean Region Course (Cortona, Italy), and guest lectures in numerous other courses throughout the year.

  • EPA Extends the Deadline for Mancozeb Comments till 16 October

    Phil Brannen

    See attached for a letter from EPA that extends the date for mancozeb comments till 16 October. I am also including the actual mancozeb review document for your reference as needed. I know that most of you are in the middle of harvest, so I hope this will help to provide a little more time…

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  • Potential EPA Action: All Mancozeb Labels Cancelled for Grapes

    Phil Brannen

    As you are all aware, mancozeb is one of the backbone fungicides for our grape spray programs. EPA is already making changes to captan labels, and though some of these changes will be onerous, they have no impact on our ability to grow grapes in Georgia as compared to the complete removal of mancozeb labels…

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  • Potential Spread of Pierce’s Disease by Spotted Lanternfly

    Phil Brannen

    As most of you are aware, spotted lanternfly (SLF) will soon be in Georgia, and it is already being found throughout the Southeast and other regions. Recent research from Penn State has indicated that the SLF can also spread Pierce’s disease (PD), though the degree of spread is not known. See the link below for…

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  • Pierce’s Disease now Expanding to Higher Elevations

    Phil Brannen

    As I have reported over the last 2-3 years, we are observing warming winter temperatures, and as a result, we are also observing increasing levels of Pierce’s disease (PD). With colder winter temperatures, the bacteria that causes PD, Xylella fastidiosa, can actually be “cured” from the vine. With warmer temperatures, the bacteria survives and kills…

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  • Wine Grape Acid Profile Study Participation

    Phil Brannen

    In Georgia and the Southeast as a whole, we grow vinifera, muscadine and other native grapes, and various hybrids. The acid profiles of these grapes are highly variable, and they will contribute to the quality of wines produced. Dr. Abhinav Mishra (UGA Food Science Department) will be conducting some preliminary experiments to explore the acid…

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  • Fungicide Resistance Testing in Georgia

    Phil Brannen

    We do now have an option for fungicide resistance testing of several pathogens of wine grapes. These include pathogens associated with powdery mildew, downy mildew, ripe rot, and Botrytis. Now is a good time to test, as pathogens are being observed in some vineyards, and testing now can allow you to switch fungicide classes to…

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  • Pesticide Redistribution Fact Sheet

    Phil Brannen

    You may find the attached resource to be of use as you try to understand your pesticides and how they move within or on the plant. I am particularly interested in the fungicide aspect. Plant growth that occurs rapidly in grape vines can quickly provide unprotected tissues relative fungicides. Some materials can redistribute or volatilize,…

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  • Additional Pierce’s Disease Information (Crimson Cabernet and Other Observations)

    Phil Brannen

    Just as an update from my last blog post, we are now finding Pierce’s disease (PD) symptomatic Crimson Cabernet vines in our Horticulture Farm trial in Watkinsville, GA — just outside of Athens. Shane Breeden, a Ph.D. student in the Plant Pathology Department identified symptoms last week, and Kendall Johnson, another Ph.D. student from the…

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  • End-of-Season Pierce’s Disease Observations

    Phil Brannen

    We continue to see quite a bit of Pierce’s disease (PD) in our vineyards this year, to include our northern Georgia sites. I am convinced that bacterial titer drives this disease, and bacterial levels in the plant are determined by the vectors (type and number of sharpshooters involved), winter temperatures, and possible alternative hosts. I…

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  • Blanc du Bois Review

    Phil Brannen

    For those growing or interested in Blanc du Bois, the following review may be of interest to you. This has been submitted for development as a UGA publication, so consider this a “sneak peak.” We still need more research-based information on this cultivar and others we are growing in Georgia, but this provides you with…

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