Grapevine yellowing detected for first time in Lower Austria

The first case of grapevine yellowing has been detected in the Bruck an der Leitha district, marking the first occurrence of the disease in Lower Austria. The condition is caused by phytoplasmas—cell-wall-less bacteria—and is transmitted by the American grapevine leafhopper.

Johannes Schmuckenschlager, President of the Lower Austria Chamber of Agriculture, described the detection as a “serious signal” for the regional wine industry. Authorities have initiated legal measures, which include the mandatory uprooting of symptomatic vines to prevent further spread. The Chamber has urged all vine owners, from commercial vineyards to private gardens, to report suspected cases immediately.

The disease has already caused “massive damage” in other wine-growing regions, including Burgenland and Styria in Austria, as well as in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Because the disease cannot be treated directly once a vine is infected, early detection and removal of infected plants are considered critical to protecting the industry.