Diversity of diatrypaceous fungi associated with grapevine canker diseases in California

Abstract

Eutypa lata is the most common diatrypaceous fungus in grapevine cankers. This study was undertaken to determine the presence and diversity of other members of the Diatrypaceae in grapevines in California. We isolated into pure culture 11 species of Diatrypaceae from the wood of diseased grapevines including Cryptosphaeria pullmanensis, Cryptovalsa ampelina, Diatrype oregonensis, D. stigma, D. whitmanensis, Diatrype sp., Diatrypella verrucaeformis and four putative species of Eutypella. Species were identified or grouped morphologically and by phylogenetic analyses of the complete sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the rDNA and β-tubulin gene. Diatrypaceous fungi also occurred frequently on the native flora surrounding vineyards, thus serving as possible inoculum sources for these putative pathogens.

• Cryptosphaeria
• Cryptovalsa
• Diatrypaceae
• Diatrype
• Diatrypella
• Eutypa
• Eutypella
• Vitis vinifera

We gratefully acknowledge Dr J.D. Rogers for providing materials from the Herbarium of the Plant Pathology Department, Washington State University, Pullman (WSP). We also thankfully acknowledge the curators of the U.S. National Fungus Collection, Beltsville, Maryland (BPI); the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K); the Herbarium of the University of California (UC). We are also very thankful to Dr Francois Rappaz for his support. We thank the American Vineyard Foundation and the Viticulture Consortium West for financial support.