Roses as Pest and Disease
Indicators on the Front Line of Vineyard Protection
A red rose planted “for you” might sound romantic, but this one is not meant for a sweetheart. It is one of the roses often planted in wine vineyards as an indicator of diseases and insect pests.
When a threat appears, roses are the first line of defence, facing it before the vines. They signal to vineyard caretakers that it is time to act quickly to prevent diseases and insect pests from damaging the wine grapes.
Anyone who has visited a wine vineyard may have noticed a plant at the head of a row of grapevines. More often than not, it is a rose.
At first glance, the roses seem to have been planted simply to make the vineyard prettier and add to its charm. As it turns out, they have a much more important job!
Chatch Chaiyasot of GranMonte Vineyard in Asoke Valley explains that roses have root systems similar to those of grapevines, but are more sensitive to diseases and insect pests. This is why they are widely planted as indicators of these threats.
“Whenever diseases or insect pests arrive, they attack the roses first. So the roses act as indicators, letting us know that diseases or pests are coming, so we can prepare and take preventive action or deal with them in time. Some places do not use roses, as several other plants can do the job, but roses are the most popular. They are excellent natural indicators. And best of all, they are both beautiful and useful.”
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