A qPCR Assay for the Quantification of the Overwintering Chasmothecia of in Grapevine Bark.

Powdery mildew (PM) disease causes serious losses in Mediterranean vineyards, where suitable environmental conditions promote conidial infections. The frequency and intensity of these infections are directly linked to the amount of primary inoculum, i.e.

Effect of Temperature on the Development of Fruiting Bodies of and on Grapevine Cuttings In Vitro and Survival of Both Pathogens in Vineyards.

In this study, isolates of and , fungal pathogens associated with Petri and esca diseases of grapevine, were used to determine the effect of temperature on the development of their fruiting bodies in vitro. Perithecia of and pycnidia of were induced at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30°C on pieces of 1-year-old grapevine cuttings of 110 Richter rootstock, which were incubated for 45 days under continuous white light. Both species were able to produce abundant fruiting bodies at temperatures ranging from 15 to 25°C, but produced more perithecia at 25°C and produced more pycnidia at 20°C.

Plant Disease Models and Forecasting: Changes in Principles and Applications over the Last 50 Years.

This review gives a perspective of selected advances made since the middle of the 20th century in plant disease modeling, and the associated increase in the number of models published during that time frame. This progress can be mainly attributed to advances in (i) sensors and automatic environmental data collection technology, (ii) instrumentation and methods for studying botanical epidemiology, and (iii) data analytics and computer science. We review the evolution of techniques for developing data-based (empirical) models and process-based (mechanistic) models using the wheat rusts as a case study.

Development and Validation of a Mechanistic Model That Predicts Infection by , the Causal Agent of Phomopsis Cane and Leaf Spot of Grapevines.

Phomopsis cane and leaf spot (PCLS), known in Europe as "excoriose," is an important fungal disease of grapevines caused by spp., and most often by (synonym ). PCLS is re-emerging worldwide, likely due to climate change, changes in the management of downy mildew from calendar- to risk-based criteria that eliminate early-season (unnecessary) sprays, and the progressive reduction in the application of broad-spectrum fungicides.

A Systematic Map of the Research on Disease Modelling for Agricultural Crops Worldwide.

In this work, we developed a systematic map to identify and catalogue the literature pertaining to disease modelling for agricultural crops worldwide. Searches were performed in 2021 in the Web of Science and Scopus for papers reporting any type of disease model for 103 crops. In total, 768 papers were retrieved, and their descriptive metadata were extracted.

Dynamics of Conidia Released from Grape Canes that Overwintered in the Vineyard.

Phomopsis cane and leaf spot (PCLS) is an important disease of grapevines that is mainly caused by . Dispersal dynamics of spores were investigated in two vineyards, one in northern Italy and one in Montenegro, by using spore samplers that collected α- and β-conidia from rain water running off from PCLS-affected canes. The canes were collected from each vineyard, deployed, and overwintered in the corresponding vineyards.

Consideration of Latent Infections Improves the Prediction of Botrytis Bunch Rot Severity in Vineyards.

The current study validated a mechanistic model for on grapevine with data from 23 independent Botrytis bunch rot (BBR) epidemics (combinations of vineyards × year) that occurred between 1997 and 2018 in Italy, France, and Spain. The model was operated for each vineyard by using weather data and vine growth stages to anticipate, at any day of the vine-growing season, the disease severity (DS) at harvest (severe, DS ≥ 15%; intermediate, 5 < DS < 15%; and mild, DS ≤ 5%). To determine the ability of the model to account for latent infections, postharvest incubation assays were also conducted using mature berries without symptoms or signs of BBR.

Temporal Dispersal Patterns of , Causal Agent of Petri Disease and Esca, in Vineyards.

Although the fungus is the most commonly detected causal agent of Petri disease and esca, two important fungal grapevine trunk diseases, little is known about the dispersal patterns of inoculum. In this work, we studied the dispersal of airborne inoculum from 2016 to 2018 in two viticultural areas of eastern (Ontinyent) and northern (Logroño) Spain. The vineyards were monitored weekly from November to April using microscope slide traps, and was detected and quantified by a specific real-time quantitative (qPCR) method set up in this work.

Reduction of Colonization of and Sporulation on Bunch Trash.

Botrytis bunch rot (BBR) of grapevine, caused by , is commonly managed by fungicide (FUN) sprays at flowering (A), at prebunch closure (B), at veraison (C), and before harvest. Applications at A, B, and C are recommended to reduce colonization of bunch trash and the production of conidia during berry ripening. The effects of these applications were previously evaluated as reductions in BBR severity at harvest rather than as reductions in bunch trash colonization and sporulation by .

A network meta-analysis provides new insight into fungicide scheduling for the control of Botrytis cinerea in vineyards.

Background: Control of Botrytis bunch rot (BBR) is currently based on the application of fungicides at four timings corresponding to specific growth stages of vines: end of flowering (A), pre-bunch closure (B), veraison (C) and before harvest (D). The current research provides a network meta-analysis of 116 studies conducted between 1963 and 2016 in nine countries, in which 14 strategies (based on combinations of 1, 2, 3, or 4 sprays applied in A, B, C, and/or D) were compared.

Results: When a one-spray strategy was applied, BBR control was more effective with sprays applied in A, C, or D than B.

Pest categorisation of .

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the fungus , the causal agent of black knot, for the EU. The identity of the pest is well established and reliable methods exist for its detection/identification. The pest is listed in Annex IIAI of Directive 2000/29/EC and is not known to occur in the EU.

Pest categorisation of .

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the causal agent of Asian pear scab, for the European Union (EU). The pathogen is a well-defined, distinguishable fungal species affecting var. and in Asian countries.

Biology and Epidemiology of Species Affecting Fruit Crops: A Review.

The fungal genus Sacc. (anamorph Bonord.) includes plant pathogens that cause substantial economic damage to fruit crops worldwide.

Pest categorisation of .

The Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the fungus responsible for fruit and leaf spot of citrus, for all territories except of the Union territories defined in Article 1 point 3 of Regulation (EU) 2016/2031. is listed in Annex IIAI of Directive 2000/29/EC and is not known to be present in the EU. The pathogen, which has recently been reclassified as , is a well-defined, distinguishable fungal species affecting all cultivated spp.

Accurate prediction of black rot epidemics in vineyards using a weather-driven disease model.

Background: Grapevine black rot caused by Guignardia bidwellii is a serious threat in vineyards, especially in areas with cool and humid springs. A mechanistic, weather-driven model was recently developed for the detailed prediction of black rot epidemics. The aim of this work was to evaluate the model by comparison with observed disease development in leaves and clusters in a vineyard in north Italy from 2013 to 2015.

A Mechanistic Model of Botrytis cinerea on Grapevines That Includes Weather, Vine Growth Stage, and the Main Infection Pathways.

A mechanistic model for Botrytis cinerea on grapevine was developed. The model, which accounts for conidia production on various inoculum sources and for multiple infection pathways, considers two infection periods. During the first period ("inflorescences clearly visible" to "berries groat-sized"), the model calculates: i) infection severity on inflorescences and young clusters caused by conidia (SEV1).

Development and validation of a weather-based model for predicting infection of loquat fruit by Fusicladium eriobotryae.

A mechanistic, dynamic model was developed to predict infection of loquat fruit by conidia of Fusicladium eriobotryae, the causal agent of loquat scab. The model simulates scab infection periods and their severity through the sub-processes of spore dispersal, infection, and latency (i.e.