“My Friend, The Fire Ant”: A Preliminary Analysis of the Role of Fire Ants in Grapevine Health

Abstract

Texas is one of the most productive wine-producing states in the United States. However, both the physical and ecological environments of Texas can present challenges which can complicate viticultural practices. Insects in particular are difficult to control and growers typically use strong insecticides in order to sustain commercially viable vineyards. One grower claims to have observed a connection between vine health and the presence of fire ants and asserts that individual grapevines with ant mounds at their base tend to be healthier than others. Consequently, the grower uses fewer pesticides to combat other insect pests. The purpose of this exploratory research is to investigate the grower's claim and determine whether fire ants can be ignored or perhaps encouraged as a means of integrated pest control in vineyards. Vineyard soil features and in-situ spectral characteristics of individual plants in two vineyards in the Brazos Valley region of Texas were examined and compared. Preliminary results show no statistically significant difference in vine health between the two vineyards, suggesting that the grower's decision to encourage or discourage fire ants was not important. However, analysis of the pooled vineyard data suggested that the presence of fire ants and the degree of soil compaction may influence vine health