Up to 60 species of fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae family, genera Cadophora, Cryptovalsa, Cylindrocarpon, Diatrype, Diatrypella, Eutypa, Eutypella, Fomitiporella, Fomitiporia, Inocutis, Phaeoacremonium and Phaeomoniella have been isolated from decline-affected grapevines all around the World. The main grapevine trunk diseases of mature vines are Eutypa dieback, the esca complex and cankers caused by the Botryospheriaceae, while in young vines the main diseases are Petri and black foot diseases. To understand the mechanism of these decline-associated diseases and the symptoms associated with them, the toxins produced by the pathogens involved in these diseases were isolated and characterised chemically and biologically. So far the toxins of only a small number of these decline fungi have been studied. This paper presents an overview of the toxins produced by the most serious of these vine wood pathogens: Eutypa lata, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, Phaeoacremonium aleophilum and some taxa in the Botryosphaeriaceae family, and examines how these toxins produce decline symptoms. The chemical structure of these metabolites and in some cases their vivotoxin nature are also discussed.

Species of Diaporthe are considered important plant pathogens, saprobes, and endophytes on a wide range of plant hosts. Several species are well-known on grapevines, either as agents of pre- or post-harvest infections, including Phomopsis cane and leaf spot, cane bleaching, swelling arm and trunk cankers. In this study we explore the occurrence, diversity and pathogenicity of Diaporthe spp. associated with Vitis vinifera in major grape production areas of Europe and Israel, focusing on nurseries and vineyards. Surveys were conducted in Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Spain and the UK. A total of 175 Diaporthe strains were isolated from asymptomatic and symptomatic shoots, branches and trunks. A multi-locus phylogeny was established based on five genomic loci (ITS, tef1, cal, his3 and tub2), and the morphological characters of the isolates were determined. Preliminary pathogenicity tests were performed on green grapevine shoots with representative isolates. The most commonly isolated species were D. eres and D. ampelina. Four new Diaporthe species described here as D. bohemiae, D. celeris, D. hispaniae and D. hungariae were found associated with affected vines. Pathogenicity tests revealed D. baccae, D. celeris, D. hispaniae and D. hungariae as pathogens of grapevines. No symptoms were caused by D. bohemiae. This study represents the first report of D. ambigua and D. baccae on grapevines in Europe. The present study improves our understanding of the species associated with several disease symptoms on V. vinifera plants, and provides useful information for effective disease management.

Botr yosphaeria stevensii frequently has been associated with dieback and canker diseases of oak, mainly in the western Mediterranean area but more rarely in other regions. The species concept of B. stevensii has been unclear, and it is possible that some collections were identified incorrectly. A collection of fungal strains isolated from diseased oak trees and initially identified as B. stevensii was characterized on the basis of morphology and ITS nucleotide sequences. Morphology was compared with the type specimens of Physalospora mutila (= B. stevensii) and its anamorph, Diplodia mutila. It was concluded that the isolates from oak differed from B. stevensii in having larger ascospores and conidia as well as different spore shapes and represented an as yet undescribed species, which is described here as B. corticola. Moreover, ITS sequence data separated B. corticola from all other known species of Botryosphaeria. Amended descriptions of B. stevensii and its anamorph are provided to differentiate B. stevensii from B. corticola and to clarify some of the earlier taxonomic uncertainties.

Frequency: Yearly ISSN: 0027-5514 eISSN: 1557-2536 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00275514.2019.1631050 ABSTRACT Timber durability is often assessed using small wood stakes exposed in direct soil contact, and the assessment generally emphasizes effects on wood rather than organisms involved. Understanding fungal colonization patterns can help identify key decay agents under varying conditions and use these patterns to improve wood protection strategies. Fungal colonization of red alder (Alnus rubra), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) heartwood/sapwood, and western redcedar (Thuja plicata) field stakes was assessed over 2 y in western Oregon. Spatiotemporal fungal community variations were identified via culturing and DNA sequencing, where 814 isolates were identified from 84 stakes. Forty-six ascomycete genera were identified, with Phialophora, Trichoderma, and Epicoccum species occurring most frequently. Twenty-three basidiomycete genera were identified, with Trametes and Phanerochaete being the most common. Douglas-fir and western redcedar stakes contained the highest and lowest diversity levels, respectively, reflecting natural durability differences of these species. Fungal species abundance was higher below ground than in the above ground and groundline zones, likely reflecting more stable moisture regimes, proximity to soil-based fungi, and potential nutrient migration into wood beneath the soil surface. Ascomycetes were proportionally more abundant early in the exposure period, but basidiomycetes were also observed early in the process, and there appeared to be no consistent colonization pattern.

Botr yosphaeria stevensii frequently has been associated with dieback and canker diseases of oak, mainly in the western Mediterranean area but more rarely in other regions. The species concept of B. stevensii has been unclear, and it is possible that some collections were identified incorrectly. A collection of fungal strains isolated from diseased oak trees and initially identified as B. stevensii was characterized on the basis of morphology and ITS nucleotide sequences. Morphology was compared with the type specimens of Physalospora mutila (= B. stevensii) and its anamorph, Diplodia mutila. It was concluded that the isolates from oak differed from B. stevensii in having larger ascospores and conidia as well as different spore shapes and represented an as yet undescribed species, which is described here as B. corticola. Moreover, ITS sequence data separated B. corticola from all other known species of Botryosphaeria. Amended descriptions of B. stevensii and its anamorph are provided to differentiate B. stevensii from B. corticola and to clarify some of the earlier taxonomic uncertainties.