Grapevine Crown Gall question - Ask Extension
Does Crown Gall only attack the vine at the base of the trunk? I have what looks like it might be the same thing but it's in cordons and canes. The ex...
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Grapevine Crown Gall question #926263
Asked March 18, 2026, 5:49 PM EDT
Does Crown Gall only attack the vine at the base of the trunk? I have what looks like it might be the same thing but it's in cordons and canes. The example in the photo is in a one year old cane. They appear randomly in cordons and canes and are typically in a section only a few inches long. Thank you.
Benton County Oregon
Expert Response
Thanks for contacting "ask extension" with your question about grape crown gall.
Yes—grapevine crown gall can occur on cordons and vines.
Usually, galls form near the soil line/crown and at graft unions, especially where there has been injury. But galls can also form above ground on cordons and canes (including up in the trellis), particularly where there are wounds, pruning injuries, or freeze cracks.
One reason you can see it scattered in different places is that Agrobacterium vitis can survive and move internally (systemically) within the vine, and then galls develop where a new injury occurs.
Management:
Prune out galls that are on canes/upper trunk parts when feasible (remove and destroy infected wood).
Consider a multiple-trunk training system so you can remove a diseased trunk and retrain a replacement while keeping production.
Focus on prevention: reduce wounding (including minimizing winter injury risk) and start with clean nursery stock; susceptibility varies by cultivar/rootstock.
Here's a link to an OSU (Oklahoma) extension that talks about grape crown gall on cordons and canes. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/crown-gall-of-grape.html
Thanks for the excellent picture!
Yes—grapevine crown gall can occur on cordons and vines.
Usually, galls form near the soil line/crown and at graft unions, especially where there has been injury. But galls can also form above ground on cordons and canes (including up in the trellis), particularly where there are wounds, pruning injuries, or freeze cracks.
One reason you can see it scattered in different places is that Agrobacterium vitis can survive and move internally (systemically) within the vine, and then galls develop where a new injury occurs.
Management:
Prune out galls that are on canes/upper trunk parts when feasible (remove and destroy infected wood).
Consider a multiple-trunk training system so you can remove a diseased trunk and retrain a replacement while keeping production.
Focus on prevention: reduce wounding (including minimizing winter injury risk) and start with clean nursery stock; susceptibility varies by cultivar/rootstock.
Here's a link to an OSU (Oklahoma) extension that talks about grape crown gall on cordons and canes. https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/crown-gall-of-grape.html
Thanks for the excellent picture!
