Occurrence of Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium aleophilum associated with Petri disease and esca in Australian grapevines

Over a 5-year period ( 1998 - 2002), 124 samples of diseased grapevines sent to the Department of Primary Industries, Knoxfield, in Victoria were diagnosed with the grapevine decline diseases, Petri disease and esca. The proportion of grapevines with Petri disease (82%) was much greater than those with esca (18%). In addition, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora was isolated from all but two of the samples, whereas Phaeoacremonium aleophilum was isolated from only 19 samples. Other fungi associated with grapevine decline diseases, such as species of Phomopsis, Cylindrocarpon, Botryosphaeria and heart-rotting basidiomycetes, were also isolated but not consistently. Thirty-two different grapevine cultivars were represented, and samples were received from most major grape-growing regions of New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia. The majority (62%) were ungrafted grapevines. Phaeomoniella chlamydospora was also found to be present in grapevines with no external symptoms of disease, including mother grapevines used for propagation.