Botryosphaeria dieback (BD) is a grapevine trunk disease (GTD) causing significant yield losses and limiting the lifespan of vineyards worldwide. Fungi responsible for BD infect grapevines primarily through pruning wounds, and thus pruning wound protection, using either synthetic chemicals or biological control agents (BCAs), is the main available management strategy. However, no products to control GTDs are currently registered in Canada. With a focus on more sustainable grapevine production, there is an increasing demand for alternatives to chemical products to manage GTDs. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to identify Trichoderma species from grapevines in British Columbia (BC) and evaluate their potential biocontrol activity against BD fungi Diplodia seriata and Neofusicoccum parvum. Phylogenetic analyses identified seven species, including T. asperelloides, T. atroviride, T. harzianum, T. koningii, T. tomentosum, and two novel species, T. canadense and T. viticola. In vitro dual culture antagonistic assays showed several isolates to inhibit fungal pathogen mycelial growth by up to 75%. In planta detached cane assays under controlled greenhouse conditions identified T. asperelloides, T. atroviride and T. canadense isolates from BC as providing 70% to 100% pruning wound protection against BD fungi for up to 21 days after treatment. In addition, these isolates were shown to provide similar or better control when compared against commercial chemical and biocontrol products. This study demonstrates the potential that locally sourced Trichoderma species can have for pruning wound protection against BD fungi, and further supports the evaluation of these isolates under natural field conditions.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are major biotic factors reducing yields and limiting vineyard economic life spans. Fungi in the GTD complex cause a range of symptoms in host plants, although these pathogens are slow wood colonizers and potentially latent pathogens. Understanding has recently increased on the possible roles that GTD fungi may play as latent pathogens, and how this can be translated into disease management. This paper summarizes evidence for the latent nature of infections by these fungi in grapevines and other hosts. Abiotic and biotic stressors have been associated with symptom expression in many hosts, but limited information is available regarding their roles in symptom development in grapevines. Based on research conducted in other pathosystems, this review discusses how abiotic and/or biotic stress factors may influence the transition from the endophytic to the pathogenic phases for GTD fungi. Potential methods for stress mitigation are also outlined as alternative GTD control strategies to minimize the economic impacts that that these diseases have on grape production.

Grapevine leafroll disease (GLD) is a complex associated with one or more virus species belonging to the family Closteroviridae. The majority of viruses in this complex are vectored by one or more species of mealybugs (Pseudococcidae) and/or scale insects (Coccidae). Grape-growing regions of British Columbia (BC), including Okanagan, Similkameen, and Fraser valleys and Kamloops (BC central interior), Vancouver, and Gulf islands, were surveyed during the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons for the presence of four major grapevine leafroll-associated viruses, including Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 (GLRaV-1), GLRaV-2, GLRaV-3, and GLRaV-4. In total, 3,056 composite five-vine samples were collected from 153 Vitis vinifera and three interspecific hybrid vineyard blocks. The results showed GLRaV-3 to be the most widespread, occurring in 16.7% of the composite samples, followed by GLRaV-4 (3.9%), GLRaV-1 (3.8%), and GLRaV-2 (3.0%). Mixed infections of two or more GLRaVs were found in 4.1% of the total samples. The relative incidence of GLRaVs differed among regions and vineyard blocks of a different age. Characterization of partial CO1 region from a total of 241 insect specimens revealed the presence of Pseudococcus maritimus, Parthenolecanium corni, and other Pulvinaria sp. in BC vineyards. Spatial patterns of GLRaV-3 infected grapevines in three vineyard blocks from three different regions in the Okanagan Valley showed variable degrees of increase in disease spread ranging from 0 to 19.4% over three growing seasons. Regional differences in the relative incidence and spread of GLD underline the need for region-based management programs for BC vineyards.

Apple (Malus domestica L. Borkh.), with over 3,500 ha cultivated, is an economically important crop in British Columbia (BC). During the 2011 growing season, declining young (4-yr-old) and mature (> 10-yr-old) ‘Ambrosia’ trees on M26 rootstock were observed in six apple orchards in the Okanagan Valley, BC. Young trees were stunted and black flask-shaped pycnidia were found embedded in the bark at the graft-union area. Cross sections revealed a light-brown and irregularly shaped canker developing from the graft-union. Mature trees showed defoliated limbs, which had flattened or sunken areas with similar pycnidia and cankers in cross section. Symptomatic samples including pycnidia were collected from several trees and fungal isolation was conducted as described by Úrbez-Torres et al. (2013). Conidia from pycnidia found in young trees were round with a truncate base, aseptate, light-brown, and averaged (n = 50) 21.9 × 8.5 μm. Conidia from pycnidia found on limbs of mature trees were oval with rounded ends, o...

Field surveys conducted throughout California olive-growing regions in 2008 and 2009 resulted in a collection of 101 Cytospora-like isolates from olive twig and branch dieback symptoms. Cytospora isolates were isolated from multiple cvs. in different olive orchards in Fresno, Madera, Merced, Napa, Riverside, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Tulare, and Ventura counties. Taxonomic studies of macro- and microscopic structures along with multigene phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer region, including the 5.8S rDNA (ITS1–5.8S–ITS2), and fragments of the translation elongation factor 1-α, beta-tubulin, and actin genes identified two species, Cytospora oleicola and C. olivarum sp. nov. Pathogenicity studies conducted in mature olive trees cvs. Manzanillo and Sevillano showed both species to be pathogenic and able to cause vascular necrosis and cankers in olive branches. This study adds to the current knowledge on the etiology of olive twig and branch dieback and provides new important information for the development of effective control strategies against canker diseases affecting olive in California.