Authors: Christopher C Steel Lindsay A Greer Sandra Savocchia
Publish Date: 2012/02/09
Volume: 133, Issue: 3, Pages: 773-778
Abstract
Grapevine inflorescences cv Chardonnay were found to be susceptible to infection by the berry rotting pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum and Greeneria uvicola responsible for ripe rot and bitter rot of grapes respectively Infection of inflorescences on fieldgrown grapevines at midflowering led to subsequent berry rot at veraison An application of the strobilurin fungicide Cabrio active ingredient pyraclostrobin at flowering reduced the incidence of ripe rot and bitter rot at veraison from 88 to 0 and from 86 to 2 respectively The infection of detached inflorescences was influenced by temperature and was greatest at 25–30°C for C acutatum and 30°C for G uvicola Our results demonstrate for the first time that grapevine flowers are susceptible to C acutatum and G uvicola and that flower infections have the potential to lead to subsequent rotting of the grape berries The findings have implications for the management of ripe rot and bitter rot of grapesThis work was conducted within the Winegrowing Futures Program a joint initiative of the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation and the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre The authors wish to thank Chris Haywood for technical assistance in the vineyard and Dr Dennis H Greer for statistical advice Grape growers in the Hunter Valley NSW are thanked for field site access and vineyard management that accommodated our studies
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