Infest
Definition - What does Infest mean?
Infest is a transitive verb that means to spread, swarm, be in or over a place, animal, or plant in large numbers. It usually refers specifically to pests, insects or other unwanted entities. With regards to vineyards, the word “infestation” is most commonly known for the phylloxera infestation, though it also applies to other types of diseases, like fungal infestations, pest infestations and other things that cause major damage to vineyards.
WineFrog explains Infest
Common grapevine infestations range from mildew, insects, rot, bacteria and more. The most common infestations include:
- Phylloxera
- Mealybug
- Ladybugs
- Botrytis
- Pierces Disease
- Powdery mildew
- Downey mildew
- Black rot
- Grape cane girdler Ampeloglypter ater
There are a variety of ways for winemakers to prevent these infestations. They include proper vineyard management, grafting rootstock onto their vines, spraying with pesticides, fungicides or insecticides, and monitoring the health of their vines closely throughout the growing season. Unfortunately, some infestations aren't noticeable until the damage is quite severe. When it gets to that point, winemakers have to treat the vines with the appropriate infestation-specific cures.
