Grapevine trunk diseases of cold-hardy varieties grown in Northern Midwest vineyards coincide with canker fungi and winter injury

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 3;17(6):e0269555. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269555. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Grapevine trunk diseases make up a disease complex associated with several vascular fungal pathogenic species. Surveys to characterize the composition of grapevine trunk diseases have been conducted for most major grape growing regions of the world. This study presents a similar survey characterizing the fungi associated with grapevine trunk diseases of cold-hardy interspecific hybrid grape varieties grown nearly exclusively in the atypical harsh winter climate of Northern Midwestern United states vineyards. From the 172 samples collected in 2019, 640 isolates obtained by culturing were identified by ITS sequencing and represent 420 sample-unique taxa. From the 420 representative taxa, opportunistic fungi of the order Diaporthales including species of Cytospora and Diaporthe were most frequently identified. Species of Phaeoacremonium, Paraconiothyrium, and Cadophora were also prevalent. In other milder Mediterranean growing climates, species of Xylariales and Botryosphaeriales are often frequently isolated but in this study they were isolated in small numbers. No Phaeomoniellales taxa were isolated. We discuss the possible compounding effects of winter injury, the pathogens isolated, and management strategies. Additionally, difficulties in researching and understanding the grapevine trunk disease complex are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Ascomycota*
  • Farms
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Vitis* / microbiology
  • Xylariales*

Grants and funding

MDC, RAB, AEK, DHD. This research was funded by the Minnesota Agricultural Rapid Response Fund and USDA Hatch Project MIN-22-081 and MIN-22-089. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.