APS Abstracts of Presentations

Fungal diseases of grapevine common on apples?
L. L. GALLEGOS (3), S. Rooney-Latham (1), A. Eskalen (3), R. Elkins (2), W. Gubler (3)
(1) California Department of Food and Agriculture, Plant Pest Diagnostics Branch, 3294 Meadowview Road, Sacramento, CA; (2) Lake and Mendocino Counties, County Director, Lake County, University of California Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd.; (3) University of California, Davis, Department of Plant Pathology, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616
Phytopathology 97:S38

Fungal cankers on apple trees are common in many production areas in California. Severe canker infections can result in economic losses due to limb loss and reduction in fruit yield. Accurate identification of the pathogens is important in terms of effective management and control strategies. Cankers from branches in an apple orchard in Mendocino County, California were cultured onto PDA-tet. Three important pathogens normally associated with grapevine were isolated: Eutypa lata, the causal agent of Eutypa dieback in grapevine, Phaeoacremonium angustius and Togninia fraxinopennsylvanica, fungi associated with vine decline and esca in grapevine. Perithecia of T. fraxinopennsylvanica were also found in the margins of apple cankers. Samples were obtained from an area where grapevines are extensively grown. These findings suggest apple may be an overlooked yet important source of inoculum for certain grapevine pathogens (and vice versa) and may have implications in epidemiology and control of these diseases.

return to top