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Planococcus ficus (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) constitutes a high impact pest in vineyards. Synthetic insecticides are inefficient to control the mealybug population and they affect human health and the environment. The insecticidal properties of eight volatile compounds against vine mealybugs and their grapevine leaf phytotoxicity in laboratory conditions were evaluated. 2-decanone, 3-decanone, α-methyl cinnamaldehyde and cinnamaldehyde produced a higher percentage of mealybug mortality in relation to control at a fumigant dose of 300 μL·L-1 air. The 3-octanone, cinnamyl chloride, 1-octen-3-ol and 3-octanol were not effective against P. ficus. Cinnamaldehyde and α-methyl cinnamaldehyde produced a low acetylcholinesterase inhibition (IC50= 2.67 μL·L-1 and 9.10 μL·L-1, respectively), whereas 2-decanone and 3-decanone did not cause enzyme inhibition. Cinnamaldehyde was not phytotoxic for grapevine leaves; therefore, this compound was selected for a contact application to improve its effectiveness, resulting in a LC50 of 394.36 μL·L-1 solution. The results demonstrated the potential of cinnamaldehyde to be developed as a non-phytotoxic natural insecticide for the control of vine mealybugs in vineyards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background and Aims: In Australia, hot water immersion and steam application are recommended disinfestation strategies for harvesting bins, vineyard machinery and vehicles against grape phylloxera, Daktulosphaira vitifoliae Fitch. This study validated the effectiveness of these two strategies against genetically diverse phylloxera strains. Methods and Results: The first instars of six phylloxera genetic strains, G1, G4, G7, G19, G20 and G30, were subjected to steam projected from 8 and 24 cm, and from 92 cm for G1 only, for 10, 20 and 30 s. All steam treatments achieved 100% mortality across the six genetic strains. The efficacy of hot water treatment (HWT) against phylloxera was investigated by immersing first instars in a water bath set at 22, 40, 45, 50, 60 and 70°C for 60 and 120 s. Treatments of 50°C and above for a minimum of 60 s resulted in 100% mortality across the six genetic strains. Survival was observed at 40 and 45°C, and first instars subsequently established feeding sites, developed into adults and reproduced on excised grapevine roots. Conclusions: Steam application and HWT, as currently recommended in the Australian National Phylloxera Management Protocol, are effective for disinfestation of diverse phylloxera strains. Significance of the Study: This study has validated, for the first time, the efficacy of steam application and HWT against phylloxera first instars and highlights the potential to lower the recommendations for treatment duration and water temperature disinfestation while still achieving 100% mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the researches regarding the integrate control of the vine green moth (Lobesia botrana Den et Schiff.) during 2017, in the vineyard of S.D. Banu Mărăcine. The frequency of the vine green moth attack in the year 2017 in the untreated control variant has been recorded with an average of 19.5 %. As a result of the treatments, the average frequency of the attack was considerably reduced: 3.2 % for V5, 2.7% for V6, 2.2 % for V4, 1.7% for V3 and 1 % for variant V2. The efficacy of treatments was 94.8 % for V2, 91.5 % for V3, 88.9 % for V4, 86.2 % for V6 and 83.7 % for V5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ascomycete Erysiphe necator causes powdery mildew disease of grapevine, a disastrous infection which is commonly defeated with multiple fungicide applications in viticulture. Breeding for natural resistance of quality grapes (Vitis vinifera) is thus a major aim of current efforts. The cultivar 'Regent' is resistant to powdery mildew due to an introgression from an American Vitis sp. resistance donor. To identify key regulatory elements in defense responses of 'Regent' we performed transcript analyses after challenging with E. necator inoculation in comparison with a susceptible grapevine. A set of genes selected from preliminary microarray hybridization results were investigated by RT-qPCR. The data indicate an important role of transcription factors MYB15, WRKY75, WRKY33, WRKY7, ethylene responsive transcription factors ERF2 and ERF5 as well as a CZF1/ZFAR transcripton factor in regulating the early defense when the fungus starts the interaction with its host by the formation of haustoria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Eutypa dieback is an economically important disease of grapevines and a major threat to vineyard longevity throughout the world. Developing effective preventative strategies offers the best means of control. In this study, pruning wound protectants and various spray applications were evaluated for their ability to prevent infection by ascospores of Eutypa lata. Methods and Results Fungicides and natural alternative treatments were applied by hand to grapevine pruning wounds in winter prior to inoculation with E. lata. In a series of greenhouse and field experiments, tebuconazole, pyraclostrobin, fluazinam, garlic extract and lactoferrin significantly reduced infection. A range of tractor-driven sprayers was used to apply tebuconazole to pruning wounds, and those which provided good coverage reduced infection by E. lata to a level similar to that when tebuconazole was applied with a paintbrush. Conclusion Eutypa dieback can be controlled with several fungicides and natural treatments. Tractor-driven sprayers, which by design or modification can efficiently deliver maximum possible coverage at high output rates, can be used for application of pruning wound treatments. Significance of the Study Results of this study contributed to registration of fungicides for use as pruning wound treatments to control E. lata in Australia. Demonstrating the ability of tractor-driven sprayers to apply treatments effectively has led to greater industry adoption of dormant treatments and may decrease the future impact of Eutypa dieback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lizards from the Canary Islands may act as pests of several cultivated plants. As a case in point, vineyard farmers often complain about the lizards'f impact on grapes. Though no specific pesticide is used for lizards, several pesticides are used in vineyards to control for insects, fungi, etc. We therefore tested whether lizards (Gallotia galloti palmae) could detect and discriminate pesticidetreated from untreated grapes. To answer this question, we performed experiments with adults of both sexes obtained from three localities in La Palma Island. Two of them were a vineyard and a banana plantation that had been treated with pesticides and the other one was in a natural (untreated) site. In the laboratory, lizards were offered simultaneously one untreated (water sprayed) and one treated (with Folithion 50 LE, diluted to 0.1%) grape placed on small plates. The behaviour of the lizards towards the fruits was filmed and subsequently quantified by means of their tongue-flick, licks or bite rates to each of the grapes. Results showed that only lizards from the natural (untreated) site clearly differentiated the two types of grapes, performing significantly more tongue-flicks, licks and bites to the untreated than to the pesticide-treated grapes. Lizards captured at the other two sites (cultivated fields with pesticide treatment), did not show a significantly different response to the two types of grapes. These results suggest that lizards living in or near cultivated fields may be habituated to pesticide-treated food and, therefore, do not clearly discriminate treated from untreated food items. However, another possibility is that natural selection (or maybe resistance) could be responsible by these individuals in the populations showing this kind of pesticide insensitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fight against grapevine diseases due to biotrophic pathogens usually requires the massive use of chemical fungicides with harmful environmental effects. An alternative strategy could be the use of compounds able to stimulate plant immune responses which significantly limit the development of pathogens in laboratory conditions. However, the efficiency of this strategy in natura is still insufficient to be included in pest management programs. To understand and to improve the mode of action of plant defense stimulators in the field, it is essential to develop reliable tools that describe the resistance status of the plant upon treatment. Results: We have developed a pioneering tool ("NeoViGen96" chip) based on a microfluidic dynamic array platform allowing the expression profiling of 85 defense-related grapevine genes in 90 cDNA preparations in a 4 h single run. Two defense inducers, benzothiadiazole (BTH) and fosetyl-aluminum (FOS), have been tested in natura using the "NeoViGen96" chip as well as their efficacy against downy mildew. BTH-induced grapevine resistance is accompanied by the induction of PR protein genes (PR1, PR2 and PR3), genes coding key enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway (PAL and STS), a GST gene coding an enzyme involved in the redox status and an ACC gene involved in the ethylene pathway. FOS, a phosphonate known to possess a toxic activity against pathogens and an inducing effect on defense genes provided a better grapevine protection than BTH. Its mode of action was probably strictly due to its fungicide effect at high concentrations because treatment did not induce significant change in the expression level of selected defense-related genes. Conclusions: The NeoViGen96" chip assesses the effectiveness of plant defense inducers on grapevine in vineyard with an excellent reproducibility. A single run with this system (4 h and 1,500 €), corresponds to 180 qPCR plates with conventional Q-PCR assays (Stragene system, 270 h and 9,000 €) thus a throughput 60-70 times higher and 6 times cheaper. Grapevine responses after BTH elicitation in the vineyard were similar to those obtained in laboratory conditions, whereas our results suggest that the protective effect of FOS against downy mildew in the vineyard was only due to its fungicide activity since no activity on plant defense genes was observed. This tool provides better understanding of how the grapevine replies to elicitation in its natural environment and how the elicitor potential can be used to reduce chemical fungicide inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevine downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) is a devastating disease of grapevine. In this study, 151 actinomycete isolates were obtained and tested for antagonistic activity againstP. viticola. The assay suggested that 28 isolates displayed antagonistic effects to varying degrees. The greatest reduction in disease severity was observed with isolate PY-1, which reduced disease severity by 92.13% in the detached leaf assay, and by 83% in a field assay. It was identified asStreptomyces atratususing the 16S rDNA sequence analysis. To elucidate the antagonistic mechanism of PY-1 againstP. viticola, scanning electron microscopy showed that major damage to the pathogens sporangia and sporangiophores was observed after treatment for PY-1. Furthermore, PY-1 showed antagonistic activity against other pathogens, including:Botrytiscinerea,Colletotrichum orbiculare,Fusarium oxysporum,PhytophthoracapsiciandPhytophthora infestans. Two imide compounds were purified from the fermentation liquid using silica gel chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography and identified as 5-acetoxycycloheximide and cycloheximide using nuclear magnetic resonance. Both compounds showed significant antagonistic activity againstP. viticola, determining a reduction in disease severity by 65% and 84%, respectively. In conclusion, 5-acetoxycycloheximide and cycloheximide were identified for the first time in a newS. atratusstrain able to effectively control grapevine downy mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT Succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor ( SDHI) fungicides constitute a relatively recent fungicide class registered for the treatment of grey mould on grapevine in Italy. The sensitivity profile to a novel compound fluopyram was established for a set of 203 Botrytis cinerea isolates collected from Sicilian vineyards within 2009-2012 prior its introduction into market. In addition, its performances were compared in in vitro and in vivo assays with other registered SDHI fungicide boscalid, to evaluate their frequency distributions EC50 values and cross-resistance patterns. Results of the article showed that EC50 values for fluopyram ranged from 0.05 to 1.98 µg mL−1. Although EC50 values of boscalid ranged from 0.01 to 89.52 µg mL−1, no cross-resistance relationship was observed between the two fungicides ( r = 0.003; P = 0.964) within our B. cinerea population. On further confirming these data, boscalid failed in controlling grey mould infections when boscalid-resistant isolates were inoculated on grape berries whereas fluopyram exhibited a good efficacy against the same isolates. This study represents the first report on the baseline sensitivity to fluopyram within B. cinerea population from Sicilian table grape vineyards in Italy, and it clearly shows the lack of cross-resistance in vitro and in vivo between fluopyram and boscalid for the field pathogen isolates. These results provided useful information for managing of fungicide resistance suggesting that fluopyram could be a valid alternative to boscalid for the control of grey mould of table grape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

- This review summarizes work done in Italy in taking semiochemical-based management of orchard and vineyard pests from the research and development stage to successful commercial deployment. Mating disruption (MD) of codling moth Cydia pomonella (CM) was originally introduced into the Trentino-South Tyrol areas to address the development of CM resistance to insecticides, particularly insect growth regulators (IGRs), and to mitigate the conflict at the rural/urban interface related to the extensive use of insecticides. Although the mountainous terrain of the area was not optimal for the efficacy of MD, commitment and determination led to the rapid adoption of MD technology throughout the region. Grower cooperatives and their field consultants were strongly influential in convincing growers to accept MD technology. Public research institutions conducted extensive research and education, and provided credible assessments of various MD technologies. By 2016, the deployment of MD in effective area-wide strategies in apple (22,100 ha) and grapes (10,450 ha), has resulted in better control of tortricid moth pests and a substantial decrease in insecticide use. Collaboration between the research community and the pheromone industry has resulted in the development of increasingly effective single-species dispensers, as well as multi-species dispensers for the control of both target and secondary pests. Over the last 20 years, hand-applied reservoir dispensers have shown excellent efficacy in both apple and grapes. Recently, aerosol dispensing systems have been shown to be effective in apple orchards. Further research is needed on the efficacy of aerosols in vineyards before the technology can be widely adopted. The successful implementation of MD in apple and grape production in Trentino-South Tyrol is expediting adoption of the technology in other Italian fruit production regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mating disruption, the broadcast application of sex-attractant pheromone to reduce the ability of insects to locate mates, has proven to be an effective method for suppressing populations of numerous moth pests. Since the conception of mating disruption, the species-specificity and low toxicity of pheromone applications has led to their consideration for use in area-wide programs to manage invasive moths. Case histories are presented for four such programs where the tactic was used in the United States: Pectinophora gossypiella (pink bollworm), Lymantria dispar (gypsy moth), Epiphyas postvittana (light brown apple moth), and Lobesia botrana (European grapevine moth). Use of mating disruption against P. gossypiella and L. botrana was restricted primarily to agricultural areas and relied in part ( P. gossypiella) or wholly ( L. botrana) on hand-applied dispensers. In those programs, mating disruption was integrated with other suppression tactics and considered an important component of overall efforts that are leading toward eradication of the invasive pests from North America. By contrast, L. dispar and E. postvittana are polyphagous pests, where pheromone formulations have been applied aerially as stand-alone treatments across broad areas, including residential neighborhoods. For L. dispar, mating disruption has been a key component in the program to slow the spread of the infestation of this pest, and the applications generally have been well tolerated by the public. For E. postvittana, public outcry halted the use of aerially applied mating disruption after an initial series of treatments, effectively thwarting an attempt to eradicate this pest from California. Reasons for the discrepancies between these two programs are not entirely clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Management of grape powdery mildew ( Erysiphe necator) and other polycyclic diseases often relies on calendar-based pesticide application schedules that assume the presence of inoculum. An inexpensive, loop-mediated isothermal amplification ( LAMP) assay was designed to quickly detect airborne inoculum of E. necator to determine when to initiate a fungicide application programme. Field efficacy was tested in 2010 and 2011 in several commercial and research vineyards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon from pre-bud break to véraison. In each vineyard, three impaction spore traps were placed adjacent to the trunk. One trap was maintained and used by the grower to conduct the LAMP assay (G- LAMP) on-site and the other two traps were used for laboratory-conducted LAMP (L- LAMP) and quantitative PCR assay ( qPCR). Using the qPCR as a gold standard, L- LAMP was comparable with qPCR in both years, and G- LAMP was comparable to qPCR in 2011. Latent class analysis indicated that qPCR had a true positive proportion of 98% in 2010 and 89% in 2011 and true negative proportion of 96% in 2010 and 64% in 2011. An average of 3·3 fewer fungicide applications were used when they were initiated based on spore detection relative to the grower standard practice. There were no significant differences in berry or leaf incidence between plots with fungicides initiated at detection or grower standard practice plots, suggesting that growers using LAMP to initiate fungicide applications can use fewer fungicide applications to manage powdery mildew compared to standard practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the efficacy of a microbial copper agent to protect against bacterial blight of grapevine caused by Xylophilus ampelinus from 2012 to 2014 in Hokkaido, Japan. A solution of the basic copper wettable powder sulfate was sprayed at 10-day intervals in two processing plots, using two application protocols: seven rounds of application immediately after leaf development and three or four applications at the initial onset of the disease. Due to the low disease incidence for the duration of the study, symptoms were only observed on leaves, not on spikes or fruits. The disease incidence in plots that were treated at the initial stage of the disease was significantly lower than in untreated plots. This protective effect improved as the number of applications was increased. After overwintering of these vines, X. ampelinus was detected in the axillary buds of untreated vines, but it was seldom detected in vines treated at the initial onset of the disease. Thus, the copper agent controlled the extent of infection during the year of treatment and reduced the quantity of bacteria surviving overwintering. Our findings indicate that three or four applications of the agent at the initial stage of the disease should be effective to prevent bacterial blight of grapevines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of treating grapes with six fungicides, applied under critical agricultural practices (CAP) on levels of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of red wines of Monastrell variety was studied. Vinifications were performed through addition of active dry yeast (ADY). Measurement of phenolic compounds was made with HPLC-DAD. Determination of antioxidant activity was through reaction of the wine sample with the DPPH radical. The wine prepared from grapes treated with quinoxyfen shows a greater increase of phenolic compounds than the control wine. In contrast, the wine obtained from grapes treated with trifloxystrobin showed lower total concentration of phenolic compounds, including stilbenes, whilst treatments with kresoxim-methyl, fluquinconazole, and famoxadone slightly reduced their content. Hence, the use of these last four fungicides could cause a decrease in possible health benefits to consumers. Antioxidant activity hardly varied in the assays with quinoxyfen, fluquinconazole and famoxadone, and decreased in the other wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevine red blotch-associated vims (GRBaV) is a newly identified vims of grapevines and a putative member of a new genus within the family Geminiviridae. This vims is associated with red blotch disease that was first reported in California in 2008. It affects the profitability of vineyards by substantially reducing fruit quality and ripening. In red-berried grapevine cultivars, foliar disease symptoms consist of red blotches early in the season that can expand and coalesce across most of the leaf blade later in the season. In white-berried grapevine cultivars, foliar disease symptoms are less conspicuous and generally involve irregular chlorotic areas that may become necrotic late in the season. Determining the GRBaV genome sequence yielded critical information for the design of primers for polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostics. To date. GRBaV has been reported in the major grape-growing areas in North America and two distinct phylogenetic clades have been described. Spread of GRBaV is suspected in certain vineyards but a vector of epidemiological significance has yet to be identified. Future research will need to focus on virus spread, the production of clean planting stocks, and the development of management options that are effective, economical, and environmentally friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür.) and Erythroneura apicalis (Nawa) are important pests that affect the quality and the yield of grapevine and cause huge economic losses. This paper focuses on the selection of effective botanical pesticides to control A. lucorum and E. apicalis. This experiment explores the effect of several botanical pesticides for A. lucorum and E. apicalis, including the 0.5% veratrine, the 0.6% Oxygen. Lactone agent, the 5% natural pyrethrin, the composite neem pesticide, the rotenone and the composite nicotine. The 0.5% veratrine shows a stable control efficacy, which is higher than 60% in Chengdu, while the composite nicotine shows the highest efficacy against A. lucorum, which is above 70%. In Yinchuan, the 0.5% veratrine shows the highest efficacy, against the first generation adults and the second generation larvae of E. apicalis, while the 5% natural pyrethrin shows 100% control efficacy against E. apicalis in Nanjiang. The 0.5% veratrine and the composite neem could be used as effective pesticides to control A. lucorum and the 5% natural pyrethrin can be used to control E. apicalis. They could be widely used in the production of pollution-free grapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In New Zealand grapevine propagation nurseries, Botryosphaeriaceae species have been reported to infect the source blocks of the nursery propagators leading to infection of the propagation materials. This research investigated the efficacy of different control methods which could prevent infection or eradicate the pathogen from harvested canes prior to plant propagation. In the source blocks, attempts to reduce infection of shoots by protecting trimming wounds were partially successful (P=0.036), with 19.5% incidence in fungicide-treated shoots and 24.3% infection in the control shoots. Further sampling showed that overall 19.9% of these infections were in the bark and 9.6% in the wood. Hot water treatment (HWT) of dormant rootstock 5C canes, previously infected with Neofusicoccum luteum and N. parvum, at 50°C for 30 min resulted in internal infection incidences of 55 and 100%, respectively. HWT at 53°C reduced infection incidence to 0 and 8.5%, respectively, but killed the buds. In naturally infected canes, HWT of 50°C for 30 min reduced infection incidence from 35% in controls, to 0-15% over all Botryosphaeriaceae species. Shorter periods of HWT, at 55°C for 10 min, designed to kill bark infections, were effective in Sauvignon blanc but killed the buds of Pinot noir. Sauvignon blanc canes superficially infected with N. luteum were soaked for 30 min in the fungicides carbendazim, tebuconazole, thiophanate methyl and flusilazole, with and without a polyether-modified trisiloxane adjuvant. Results showed that carbendazim with no adjuvant and tebuconazole with 0.5 mL L-1 adjuvant eliminated 100% of bark infections. A further experiment that soaked 2,000 canes (Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir) in a carbendazim solution prior to rooting found that all canes were free of Botryosphaeriaceae species infection, compared to 17% natural incidence. These results have indicated the potential efficacy of several methods for preventing or reducing infection Botryosphaeriaceae species in grapevine propagating materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inducing resistance in plants by the application of elicitors of defense reactions is an attractive plant protection strategy, particularly for grapevine (Vitis vinifera), which is susceptible to severe fungal diseases. Although induced resistance (IR) can be successful under controlled conditions, in most cases, IR is not sufficiently effective for practical disease control under outdoor conditions. Progress in the application of IR requires a better understanding of grapevine defense mechanisms and the ability to monitor defense markers to identify factors, such as physiological and environmental factors, that can impact IR in the vineyard. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are well-known plant defense compounds that have received little or no attention to date in the case of grape-pathogen interactions. This prompted us to investigate whether an elicitor, the sulfated laminarin (PS3), actually induces the production of VOCs in grapevine. An online analysis (proton-transfer-reaction quadrupole mass spectrometry) of VOC emissions in dynamic cuvettes and passive sampling in gas-tight bags with solid-phase microextraction-GC-MS under greenhouse conditions showed that PS3 elicited the emission of VOCs. Some of them, such as (E,E)-α-farnesene, may be good candidates as biomarkers of elicitor-IR, whereas methyl salicylate appears to be a biomarker of downy mildew infection. A negative correlation between VOC emission and disease severity suggests a positive role of VOCs in grape defense against diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shoot tip cultures coupled with thermotherapy was used for the production of virus-free candidate clones of the Croatian autochthonous and most important redberried grapevine cultivar Plavac mali. The procedure was successful for the elimination of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) and Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV), but not Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 1 (GLRaV-1). Results showed that a selective virus eradication occurred depending on the initial composition of the viral population of treated samples. When the in vitro growth of cv. Plavac mali explants harbouring different viruses was compared, it was found that, similarly to virus elimination, tissue proliferation was virus composition-dependent. This is a first report on virus elimination in cv. Plavac mali and, by and large, from grapevines in Croatia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food safety is a global concern due to the increased use of pesticides in agriculture. In grapes, carbendazim is one of the frequently detected fungicides. However, it is amenable to biodegradation. In this study, we aimed to assess the degradation of carbendazim by four Bacillus subtilis strains, which had earlier shown potential for biocontrol of grape diseases. In liquid medium, each of the four strains, namely, DR-39, CS-126, TL-171, and TS-204, could utilize carbendazim as the sole carbon source. The half-life was minimized from 8.4 days in the uninoculated spiked control to 4.0-6.2 days by the four strains. In Thompson Seedless sprayed with carbendazim at 1.0 g L, the residue on grape berries in control was 0.44 mg kg after 25 days of application, whereas in grapes treated with the four B. subtilis strains, the residues had decreased to 0.02 mg kg. The degradation kinetics showed low half-lives of 3.1 to 5.2 days in treated grapes as compared to 8.8 days in control. In inoculated soils, the half-lives were 5.9 to 7.6 days in autoclaved and 6.5 to 7.2 days in nonautoclaved soils as compared to 8.2 and 8.0 days in respective controls. The growth dynamics of these strains in all the three matrices was not affected by presence of carbendazim. Bacillus strains TS-204 and TL-171 showed higher degradation rate than the other two strains in all the three matrices and show promise for in situ biodegradation of carbendazim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botryosphaeria dieback is a fungal grapevine trunk disease that represents a threat for viticulture worldwide due to the decreased production of affected plants and their premature death. This dieback is characterized by a typical wood discoloration called brown stripe. Herein, a proteome comparison of the brown striped wood from Botryosphaeria diebackaffected standing vines cultivars Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and Mourvedre was performed. The transcript analysis for 15 targeted genes and the quantification of both total phenolics and specific stilbenes were also performed. Several pathogenesis-related proteins and members of the antioxidant system were more abundant in the brown striped wood of the three cultivars, whereas other defense-related proteins were less abundant. Additionally, total phenolics and some specific stilbenes were more accumulated in the brown striped wood. Strongest differences among the cultivars concerned proteins of the primary metabolism, which looked to be particularly impaired in the brown striped wood of 'Chardonnay'. Low abundance of some proteins involved in defense response probably contributes to make global response insufficient to avoid the symptom development. The differential susceptibility of the three grapevine cultivars could be linked to the diverse expression of various proteins involved in defense response, stress tolerance, and metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Togninia minima is one of the fungi involved in esca disease of grapevine, worldwide. It has a biallelic heterothallic mating system. A multiplex PCR test was developed that can detect the species as well as the mating type. A T. minima-specific primer set, with expected amplicon size of 500 bp, was designed based on β-tubulin gene sequences. A previously designed degenerate primer set (NcHMG1 and NcHMG2) was successfully used to amplify a fragment of approximately 300 bp from the Mat1-2 gene of T. minima. The obtained sequence showed substantial homology to the Mat1-2 gene sequences of other related ascomycetes. A more specific primer set, with expected amplicon size of 230 bp, was designed based on the same Mat1-2 gene sequence. The specificity of the new primer set was verified on DNA extracted from a set of Phaeoacremonium and other fungal species frequently occurring on grapevine. Both primer sets were combined in a multiplex PCR for the simultaneous identification and determination of mating types of T. minima. A 500 bp amplicon was obtained from all available T. minima isolates and none from the other Phaeoacremonium spp. A 230 bp amplicon confirmed T. minima isolates that have the Mat1-2 allele. The species-specific β-tubulin-based primer set served as an internal control to confirm that the PCR reaction with the mating type primer set had worked properly. The efficacy of the multiplex test was evaluated on 31 isolates of T. minima from different vineyards in the Azarshahr region (East Azerbaijan province, Iran). Isolates of both mating types were found from the sampled areas; however, Mat1-2 isolates were more frequent than Mat1-1 isolates (19:12). This multiplex PCR assay developed can facilitate rapid screening of mating types in populations of T. minima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance of immature grape berries to Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr. results from a combination of factors, among which the accumulation of the stilbene phytoalexin t-resveratrol. Stilbene accumulation is thought to be induced by oligogalacturonides (OGs) which are released from the plant cell wall during tissue maceration catalysed by polygalacturonases (PGs) produced by necrotrophic fungal pathogens. Inhibitors of PG activity, the polygalacturonase- inhibiting proteins (PGIPs), have the capability to slow the hydrolytic activity of PGs and favour the accumulation of active OGs. In the present work we have observed that artificial inoculation of grape inflorescences and immature berries at bloom and post bloom, leads to severe infection of the rachis, while lesions on young berries did not result in the development of the disease, but in the development of necrotic spots and rings. PG was detectable in berry tissues, but its secretion was significantly lower than in infected leaves. Tissues of immature berries reacted to B. cinerea inoculation by a marked accumulation of t-resveratrol. PG produced during spore germination of B. cinerea elicited t-resveratrol accumulation. Apoplastic fluids (AFs) from immature berries and leaves were found to inhibit total PG activity produced by B. cinerea, indicating the involvement of a proteinaceous or non-proteinaceous PG inhibitor, or both, as intercellular defence mechanisms. Taken together, our results suggest that the inhibition of PG produced by B. cinerea mediated by a putative PG inhibitor during the early stages of infection of immature grape berries plays a central role in promoting accumulation of t-resveratrol and, consequently, the restriction of pathogen spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

11 strains of Plasmopara viticola were isolated from materials collected from Hebei, Henan and Shanxi Provinces. Their pathogenicity was investigated by inoculating on 8 selected grape cultivars. Comparing the leaf disc floating method with defoliation method, the latter one was more suitable for determining the pathogenicity of P. viticola. The pathogenicities of the tested strains were divided into 2 categories. The paper had provided a basis for pathogenicity division of P. viticola for other regions. At the same time, it provided a theoretical foundation for scientific control and reasonable layout of grape varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pink hibiscus mealy bug Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) is a serious economic threat to agriculture, forestry and the nursery industries. High incidence of it observed in the grape vineyards resulted in a poor fruit quality, declined crop yields and substantial economic loss. Hence it is necessary to develop an effective formulation for its control. Although information about the sex pheromones of mealy bug is reported, the information about attractant pheromone of mealy bug is not known. To isolate it, colony of mealy bug, M. hirsutus was maintained and the crawler mealy bugs were extracted. Bioassay of the crude extract obtained was carried out on the crawlers. Results indicated dose dependant attractant properties. The activity was marginal at low concentration and increased gradually with concentration, went through the maximum and then reduced. Formulations of higher concentration (> 1.5 mg / ml) were repellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pierce's disease of grapevines, caused by a strain of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa, threatens an industry with a farm value of production exceeding $3 billion per year. The grape industry incurs substantial costs from losses of vines to the disease and efforts to mitigate damage. Additional costs are borne by the public in providing programs that aim to contain the disease and develop longer-term solutions, and by the citrus, nursery and grape industries in complying with those programs. Aggregating the costs of vine losses, industry assessments, compliance costs, and expenditures by government entities, we estimate the cost of Pierce's disease in California is approximately $104.4 million per year. Of that, $48.3 million funds Pierce's disease activities undertaken by various government agencies, the nursery and citrus industries and the UC system, and $56.1 million is the cost of lost production and vine replacement borne by grape growers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Cinnamon leaf oil in vapor form or in edible pectin films increased the antioxidant capacity of the grapes. [•] Cinnamon leaf oil in vapor form or in edible pectin films reduced the fungal decay of the grapes. [•] Higher concentrations of cinnamon leaf oil in vapor form or in edible pectin films showed increasing odor acceptability of the grapes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] CA treatment with ultralow oxygen (ULO) of <0.01μLL−1 plus 50% CO2 at 2°C controlled nymphs and adults of grape mealybug in 3d and controlled eggs in 10d. [•] The 10d ULO+50% CO2 treatment for control of grape mealybug eggs did not have negative impact on visual quality of harvested table grapes. [•] ULO and ULO+50% CO2 treatments with <0.01μLL−1 O2 were more effective than the treatments with 30μLL−1 O2 against grape mealybug. [•] ULO+50% CO2 treatments were more effective than ULO treatments in controlling grape mealybug. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Accurate quantitative assessment of greasy spot of grapefruit, caused byMycosphaerella citriWhiteside, is crucial for designing appropriate disease management strategies and estimating yield losses. A visual rating scale was developed by measuring the total leaf area of 143 ‘Rio Red’ grapefruit leaf samples, and calculating the percent diseased area. The mean severity of the entire sample was 23.1%, but many leaves on the orchard floor exhibited symptoms on more than 50.0% of the leaf area. This rating scale should be highly useful to growers and researchers for field assessments of greasy spot severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessment carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State France, for the pesticide active substance oryzalin are reported. The context of the peer review was that requested by the European Commission following the submission and evaluation of confirmatory mammalian toxicology and ecotoxicology data. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative use of oryzalin as a herbicide on grape vines. A concern has been identified as regards the assessment of the toxicological relevance of some impurities, which could not be finalised based on the data available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State the Netherlands, for the pesticide active substance Bacillus pumilus QST 2808 are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Regulation (EU) No 188/2011. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of Bacillus pumilus QST 2808 as a fungicide on grape (wine and table) and fruiting vegetable cucurbits (cucumber, melon, zuccini). The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the available studies and literature in the dossier peer reviewed, are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grapevine Bois noir (BN) is a phytoplasma disease that is widespread in most viticultural regions of the world, and it can result in heavy reductions to yields and grape juice quality. At present, there is no effective strategy to reduce the incidence of BN-infected grapevines. However, phytoplasma-infected plants can recover through spontaneous or induced symptom remission. Five elicitors (chitosan, two glutathione-plus-oligosaccharine formulations, benzothiadiazole, and phosetyl-Al) were applied weekly to the canopy of BN-infected 'Chardonnay' grapevines from early May to late July. The best and most constant recovery inductions were obtained with benzothiadiazole and the two glutathione-plus-oligosaccharine formulations. The plants that recovered naturally or following the elicitors showed qualitative and quantitative parameters of production no different from healthy plants. In another vineyard, diseased plants showed reduced shoot length and production compared with healthy plants, and there were no negative effects on these parameters for grapevines sprayed with a glutathione-plus-oligosaccharine fommlation. The application of resistance inducers promoted the recovery of BN-infected grapevines with no adverse effects on the plants. Therefore. grapevine can be used as a model species to test this innovative strategy to contain phytoplasma diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthracnose is a serious disease that affects several grape cultivars. Infected leaves drop prematurely, and severe epidemics result in poor or no yield. Because the factors associated with grape defoliation in vineyards with a history of anthracnose were not well known, this study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between weather-, disease-, and host-related factors and survival of leaves. From 2006 to 2008, weather, anthracnose severity, and leaf emergence were monitored in an unsprayed experimental vineyard naturally infested with Elsinoë ampelina. Each year, two to three times weekly, the number of leaves and the proportion of leaf area diseased (PLAD) were monitored on 10 vines and 2 shoots per vine, for a total of 785 leaves. Survival analysis was used to investigate the factors influencing defoliation and to model time-to-death of grape leaves. Estimated median survival time was 117 to 121 days. Based on Kaplan-Meier estimates of survival probabilities, season type, PLAD per leaf and PLAD per shoot at first assessment, duration and amount of rain at first infection, severity of infection and leaf age at first infection and at first severe infection significantly influenced leaf survival. Based on accelerated time failure modeling, using the Weibull distribution, the most significant variables were PLAD per leaf and PLAD per shoot at first assessment, leaf age at first infection, and duration of rain. Each additional percent increase in PLAD per leaf, in PLAD per shoot, or in rainy days accelerated the time-to-death of grape leaves by 2.84, 1.02, and 0.66%, respectively, whereas for each additional day of leaf age at time of first infection, there was a 2.88% deceleration of the time to death. Results suggested that to avoid premature leaf drop, disease severity should be maintained below 25% leaf area diseased, which can be achieved by sanitation measures designed to reduce inoculum levels and by applying fungicide early in the season to prevent infection of young leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Anthracnose, caused by the biotrophic fungus Elsinoe ampelina, is an economically devastating disease of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) prevalent in warm and humid regions of the world. In order to investigate the molecular resistance mechanisms and identify genes related to anthracnose resistance in grapevine, a Suppression Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) library was constructed using mixed cDNAs prepared from leaves of Chinese wild Vitis quinquangularis clone ‘Shang-24’, cDNA prepared from leaves infected with the pathogen E. ampelina served as tester and cDNA from mock-inoculated leaves as driver. A total of 670 high-quality ESTs were clustered and assembled into a collection of 461 unique genes comprising 85 contigs and 376 singletons. By Gene ontology (GO) analysis 310 unigenes were assigned to 22 GO slims within the molecular function category, while 317 unigenes could be sorted into 43 GO slims within the biological process category. The expression profiles of 20 selected genes, monitored by quantitative RT-PCR, indicated that expression of these genes in the E. ampelina-resistant ‘Shang-24’ was quicker and more intense, than in the susceptible ‘Red Globe’ where the reaction was delayed and limited. The results imply that these up-regulated genes could be involved in grapevine responses against E. ampelina infection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sclerotinia rot of Kulekhara [Hygrophila auriculata (Schum.) Heynne.] caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary was recorded probably first time in a homestead gardens at Sriniketan (Birbhum district) under Lateritic-red agroclimatic zone of West Bengal, India during winter months of January-February, 2014 and 2015. Kulekhara is an Indian ayurvedic plant familiar for its medicinal value commonly used for increasing haemoglobin in blood. It is also used as vegetable in rural Bengal. S. sclerotiorum is one of the most devastating and cosmopolitan necrotrophic fungal plant pathogens having wide host range infects a numbers of economically important plants throughout the world. Initially water soaked lesions were produced on branches and leaves. Soon the affected area covered with white mycelial growth of the causal fungus. With progress of the disease, many plants died. Sclerotia formation was not found on the infected plants but more or less spherical large and black sclerotia were produced in soil at base of the infected plant. The pathogen did not show host specificity. PDA medium amended with chloramphenicol was used to isolate and maintain the pathogen. White mycelium with hyaline, branched and septate hyphae was produced by the pathogen on PDA medium. Black sclerotia near spherical in shape generally were formed within 4-6 days of incubation at 25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea is among the most important disease affecting the production of grapevine worldwide. The high economical loss each year has led producers to become more dependent on chemical pesticides for protection. However, environmental impacts of the pesticides overuse have sparked crescent interest in developing alternative biocontrol methods. The use of plant-associated bacteria has, thus, received many attentions as a promising strategy for sustainable agriculture. Three strains, isolated from the rhizosphere of crops cultivated in the northeast of France, were evaluated for their antagonistic effect. They were found to exhibit an antagonistic effect against a set of phytopathogenic fungi. Phenotypic and molecular characterization showed that isolates belong to the genus Burkholderia. The genome sequencing and analysis of isolated strains revealed the presence of gene clusters coding for secondary metabolites potentially involved in the biocontrol. When the grapevine plantlets were infected with B. cinerea, all plants associated with isolated strains showed a significant protection against B. cinerea compared to non-inoculated plants. To understand the mechanisms contributing to the biocontrol effect of selected isolates, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of several defense genes were investigated. The maximum accumulation of H2O2 was detected in the inoculated cell suspension medium 30 min after the challenge with B. cinerea. After pathogen challenge, results showed that grapevine cell culture inoculated with isolated strains exhibited significant over expression of defense markers genes PR5, PR10, and chit4c, in response to B. cinerea, confirming their priming effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]