Pathogenicity Testing of Fungal Isolates Associated with Olive Trunk Diseases in South Africa.

A recent olive trunk disease survey performed in the Western Cape Province, South Africa, identified several fungi associated with olive trunk disease symptoms, including species of Basidiomycota, Botryosphaeriaceae, Coniochaetaceae, Calosphaeriaceae, Diaporthaceae, Diatrypaceae, Phaeomoniellaceae, Phaeosphaeriaceae, Symbiotaphrinaceae, Togniniaceae, and Valsaceae. Many of the species recovered had not yet been reported from olive trees; therefore, the aim of this study was to determine their pathogenicity toward this host. Pathogenicity tests were first conducted on detached shoots to select virulent isolates, which were then used in field trials.

Investigation of Trichoderma species colonization of nursery grapevines for improved management of black foot disease.

Background: Black foot disease (BFD) is one of the main fungal diseases associated with young grapevine decline. Trichoderma holds the potential to be used as biocontrol agent against this disease, though variable success of colonization were found when applied to nursery vines in previous studies. Therefore, field experiments were established to evaluate different methods of application of Trichoderma atroviride, and to evaluate the efficacy of different commercial Trichoderma products on BFD in nursery vines post callusing over two seasons.