Abstract
Fungal grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are some of the most pressing threats to grape production worldwide. While these diseases are associated with several fungal pathogens, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium minimum are important contributors to esca and Petri diseases. Recent research has linked grapevine xylem diameter with tolerance to Pa. chlamydospora in commercial rootstocks. In this study, we screen over 25 rootstocks for xylem characteristics and tolerance to both Pa. chlamydospora and Pm. minimum. Tolerance was measured by fungal incidence and DNA concentration (quantified via qPCR), while histological analyses were used to measure xylem characteristics, including xylem vessels diameter, density, and the proportion of the stem surface area covered by xylem vessels. Rootstocks were grouped into different classes based on xylem characteristics to assess the potential association between vasculature traits and pathogen tolerance. Our results revealed significant differences in all the analyzed xylem traits, and also in DNA concentration for both pathogens among the tested rootstocks. They corroborate the link between xylem vessels diameter and tolerance to Pa. chlamydospora. In Pm. minimum, the rootstocks with the widest xylem diameter proved the most susceptible. This relationship between vasculature development and pathogen tolerance has the potential to inform both cultivar choice and future rootstock breeding to reduce the detrimental impact of GTDs worldwide.
Highlights
Esca and Petri diseases are two major fungal grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) that currently and significantly threaten grapevine production (Gramaje et al, 2018)
This study evaluated the relationship between the xylem anatomy of grapevine rootstocks and their susceptibility to Pa. chlamydospora and Pm. minimum
Our results demonstrate the existence of a relationship between xylem anatomy and the ability of both Pa. chlamydospora and Pm. minimum to differentially colonize the vascular system of a wide range of grapevine rootstocks
Summary
Esca and Petri diseases are two major fungal grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) that currently and significantly threaten grapevine production (Gramaje et al, 2018). These diseases are present in every grape-growing region worldwide. The complex etiology of such diseases comprises many fungal species These include the pathogen Phaemoniella chlamydospora and several. The internal wood symptoms of affected plants include white soft-rot surrounded by a dark line and cinnamon to black spots (Bertsch et al, 2013; Gramaje et al, 2018) Berries may display scattered spots known as “black measles.” The internal wood symptoms of affected plants include white soft-rot surrounded by a dark line and cinnamon to black spots (Bertsch et al, 2013; Gramaje et al, 2018)
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