Sem t

1
Fungi Associated with Esca and Grapevine
Declines in North Ribatejo, Portugal
M.R. Mendes(1), J.P. Luz(1), E. Diogo(2) A.
Carvalho(2) (1) Escola Superior Agrária de
Castelo Branco, Qt.ª Sr.ª Mércules, 6001-909
Castelo Branco, Portugal J.P.Luz_at_esa.ipcb.pt (2)
Direcção Geral de Protecção das Culturas, Tapada
da Ajuda, Ed. 1, 1349-018 Lisboa, Portugal
Abstract A survey of 179 vineyards in eight
municipalities of North Ribatejo, Portugal,
namely Abrantes, Almeirim, Alpiarça, Chamusca,
Golegã, Santarém, Tomar, and Torres Novas was
conducted in 2002 to identify pathogenic wood
fungi. Grapevines showing esca and decline
symptoms were examined for the presence of
pathogenic fungi. Slightly less than half of the
vineyards (46.4) showed symptoms of grapevine
decline. Eighteen phytopathogenic fungi were
isolated from the wood of the grapevines with
decline symptoms. The isolates were identified
according to their morphological characteristics
on PDA. The fungi isolated and the percentage of
the vineyards affected were Phaeoacremonium spp.
(22.9), Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (20.5),
Phomopsis viticola (18.1), Phoma sp. (14.5),
Penicillium sp. (10.8), Sphaeropsis sp. (8.4),
Seimatosporium sp. (7.2), Alternaria sp. (6.0),
Acremonium sp. (4.8), Conyothyrium sp. (4.8),
Truncatella sp. (4.8), Cladosporium sp. (3.6),
Aureobasidium sp. (2.4), Fusarium sp. (2.4),
Arthrinium sp. (1.2), Fomitiporia punctata
(1.2), Pestalotiopsis sp. (1.2), and
Phytophthora sp. (1.2). The spatial distribution
of the fungi in North Ribatejo is presented and
discussed.
Results and Discussion

• The results of the percentage of fungi detected
  in trunks associated with grapevine decline
  symptoms are shown in Figure 1.
• The main results are the following
• Phaeoacremonium spp. was the most frequently
  isolated fungi (22.9), being isolated nine times
  as the only fungi present, six times associated
  with Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, other six with
  Phomopsis viticola, and one with Acremonium sp.
• Phaeomoniella chlamydospora was the second most
  isolated fungi (20.5), being seven times
  isolated alone, six associated with
  Phaeoacremonium spp., and five with Phomopsis
  viticola.
• Phomopsis viticola was the third most isolated
  fungi (18.1), being six times isolated alone,
  other six associated with Phaeoacremonium spp.,
  and five times with Phaeomoniella chlamydospora.
• Acremonium sp. was isolated four times (4.8),
  three alone and one associated with
  Phaeoacremonium sp.
• Fomitiporia punctata was isolated only once
  (1.2) and it was not possible to detect other
  fungi associated.

Figure 1 Percentage of fungi detected in
grapevine trunks with decline symptoms in
Ribatejo Vineyards.

• The spatial distribution of the fungi detected in
  grapevine trunks with decline symptoms can be
  seen in Figure 2.
• The results show that
• Phaeoacremonium spp., Phaeomoniella
  chlamydospora and Phomopsis viticola are the
  fungi with highest incidence and have a more
  regular spatial distribution in the areas
  surveyed
• The Phaeoacremonium spp. Phompsis viticola
  association appears only in the left bank of
  Tagus River, probably because that area is
  frequently flooded
• Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium
  spp. are commonly found alone and in association
  with other fungi, mainly together or with
  Phomopsis viticola
• Acremonium sp. was only found alone in the north
  of the surveyed area.

Introduction The Petri disease and other
grapevine declines have been causing a
considerable destruction of grapevines in
Portugal. The species of Phaeomoniella and
Phaeoacremonium associated with these declines
were first detected in central and southern
Portugal by Rego et al. (2000) and in the Vinho
Verde region (northwest Portugal) by Chicau et
al. (2000). Research on the aetiology of esca
suggest that different pathogens are probably
involved. Recently, it has further been suggested
that different fungi, causing at least two
different diseases (esca and Petri disease), can
cause similar symptoms on grapevine (Surico and
Mugnai, 2001). The fungi associated with
grapevine decline in northwest Ribatejo, along
the Tagus river valley, and the spatial
distribution of the fungi associated are
presented in this work.
LISBON
Figure 2 Distribution of the isolated fungi in
the Northwest Ribatejo region.
Materials and Methods The grapevine decline was
surveyed in 179 vineyards of different ages and
197 trunks were colected from symptomatic vines.
Fungi were isolated by transferring small pieces
of wood tissue from different types of necrosis
to plates of PDA (Merck). Cultures were
incubated at 25ºC in the dark for about 7 days.
Isolates were transferred to PDA, incubated at
room temperature and identified according to
their morphological characteristics.
Identifications were made from squash mounts of
fruiting structures mounted in lactophenol.
References Rego, C., Oliveira, H., Carvalho, A.
Philips, A. (2000). Involvement of
Phaeoacremonium spp. and Cylindrocarpon
destructans with grapevine decline in Portugal.
Phytopathologia Mediterranea, 3976-79. Chicau,
G., Aboim-Inglez, M., Cabral, S. Cabral, J.P.S.
(2000). Phaeoacremonium chlamydosporum and
Phaeoacremonium angustius associated with esca
and grapevine declina in Vinho Verde grapevines
in Northwest Portugal. Phytopathologia
Mediterranea, 3980-86. Surico, G. Mugnai, L.
(2001). Sulla presenza di venature brune nella
vite il caso delle barbatelle e il ruolo di
Phaeomoniella chlamydospora. Informatore
Fitopatologico, 5122-26.