To recap quickly, Pierce’s disease is caused by a bacterium called Xylella
fastidiosa, which kills grapevines by blocking the xylem and phloem, the plant’s
‘circulatory’ system. There is no known cure and a vine infected with Pierce’s
Disease usually suffocates to death within two years.
GM vines – friend or foe?
The battle against Pierce's disease has accelerated the debate on genetically modified vines. Although a potential solution to the threats facing California, do the dangers of GM methods outweigh any positives. Susan Low reports