Vineyard Scouting, Block Indexing & Virus Reporting

2026 field programme

3.3M

Vines inspected

926

Hectares scouted

527

Blocks surveyed

24,327

Infected vines found

The programme

Two ways we work a vineyard

Red cultivars can be scouted visually. White cultivars and planting material need laboratory indexing, because infection is often latent.

Grapevine leafroll disease map of a vineyard block

Red cultivars

Plant inspection and block scouting

Visual scouting of red-cultivar blocks: map the vineyard, tag symptomatic vines, and issue a virus report.

Map the vineyard onto a grid of row numbers and plant positions, which can later be superimposed on satellite images.
Scout for symptomatic plants and tag them for roguing. Where symptoms are unclear, samples may be taken to confirm infection.
Issue a virus report with disease maps, infected-row lists and positions, and infection statistics for the next season’s management.

ELISA laboratory testing for grapevine leafroll virus

White cultivars

Block indexing by ELISA

White-cultivar blocks and planting material are indexed by ELISA (grid testing, pooled testing or de-pooling), using the Patho Solutions GLRaV-3 kit.

Strategy depends on

Reason for testing (roguing, risk analysis, pest control)
Whether disease incidence is known
Severity (high or low incidence)
Risk to surrounding blocks

Agree a testing strategy with Patho Solutions.
Sample grapevine material, done by Patho Solutions or by the client.
Run ELISA and report results as a virus report for the block.

Indexing uses our GLRaV-3 ELISA kits. More detail is in the resources below, or contact us to choose the best approach.

Resources

Downloads and information

IGWS information pieces

Download resources compiled by the Institute for Grape and Wine Sciences.

FAQ

Scouting and leafroll questions

What is grapevine leafroll disease?

Grapevine leafroll is a viral disease, most often associated with GLRaV-3, that reduces yield and fruit quality. Red cultivars show typical rolling and reddening of leaves; white cultivars are often largely asymptomatic, so laboratory testing is needed to find infected vines.

How does the Patho Solutions leafroll control programme work?

The programme has two parts that can be used together or separately: plant inspection and block scouting of red cultivars (mapping, tagging symptomatic vines, and virus reporting) and block indexing of white cultivars and propagative material by ELISA using our GLRaV-3 kit.

Do you scout vineyard blocks and map leafroll?

Yes. Vineyard layout is mapped onto a grid with row numbers and plant positions. Blocks are scouted for symptomatic vines, which are tagged for roguing. Virus reports include disease maps, infected-row lists and the percentage of infected vines.

When should producers book leafroll surveillance?

Field monitoring is seasonal and capacity is limited. Contact Patho Solutions by the end of the year if you need testing or surveillance in the following year. Returning customers are given preference, and work is scheduled first-come, first-served.

Affiliates

Vineyard scouting and leafroll control