Physical Barriers as a Means to Reduce Grape Root Borer, Vitacea polistiformis (Harris), Infestations in Vineyards and in Greenhouse Muscadine Plants²

Grape root borer, Vitacea polistiformis (Harris), larval populations were apparently reduced in an old abandoned muscadine vineyard when physical barriers (ground cloth) and other methods were used in a 3-yr test. Statistical differences among treatments for any one year did not exist, but overall larval counts were statistically lower at the end (1991) than at the beginning (1989) of the test. Weed Barrier, a ground cloth, was consistently effective in reducing neonate larval penetration by 42 – 45% in potted muscadine (‘Fry’) plants in the greenhouse during studies in 1990 and 1992. Also, significantly fewer larvae became established in roots of plants in the weed barrier treatment than in the no-barrier treatment. An experimental woven polypropylene was less effective.