Pruning wound protection of rootstock mother vines

Date
2019-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: One of the factors contributing to the decline in grapevine production across the world is diseases commonly known as grapevine trunk diseases (GTD’s). These diseases are typically triggered by xylem-inhabiting pathogens which causes a variety of symptoms and an overall reduction in grapevine production worldwide. To date there is a great concern on the manifestation of these fungal trunk pathogens in rootstock mother vines and their accompanied propagation material. However, there are limited and inadequate information available of the vulnerability of South African rootstocks to these pathogens. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the temporal susceptibility of pruning wounds against Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and to assess the protection of pruning wounds of commercial rootstocks with fungicides and biological agents against Pa. chlamydospora in South Africa. Pruning wound susceptibility was determined in certified mother vine blocks with two rootstock varieties most commonly grafted in South Africa, namely Ramsey and US 8-7. This was achieved by inoculations of spore suspensions directly after pruning, as well as 1, 7, 21, and 42 days after pruning. The trials were evaluated after nine months by determining Pa. chlamydospora incidences from inoculated wounds. A general decline in Pa. chlamydospora incidence was recorded up to 42 days after pruning with wounds challenged 24 hours after pruning being the most susceptible. In vitro mycelial and germination inhibition studies were conducted in order to determine whether selected chemicals which include chemical fungicide groups such as; benzimidazole, triazole, pyridine-carboxamide and strobilurin are effective against Pa. chlamydospora. Mycelial growth inhibition was assessed for six fungicides. The results obtained were used to determine the EC50 values for Pa. chlamydospora (LM310) and it was observed that all the tested fungicides were effective against Pa. chlamydospora. Furthermore, cell viability was assessed using three of the fungicides known to be effective against germination inhibition via a microtiter assay. EC50 values for Pa. chlamydospora was determined and found to be effective. Chemical fungicides that shown mycelial and germination inhibition, including other control agents, were evaluated in a detached shoot assay by pruning, treating and challenging these shoots (Ramsey, US 8-7 and 101-14 Mgt). After a 4-week incubation period, Pa. chlamydospora incidence was recorded and it was found that several of the chemicals were highly effective in lowering Pa. chlamydospora incidence, hence protecting these wounds from infection. Consequently, these control agents were further evaluated in field trials conducted in a rootstock mother vine nursery. Pruning wounds were treated with the selected control agents immediately after pruning and challenged with a Pa. chlamydospora spore suspension at 1 and 7 days after pruning. The trials were evaluated after nine months by determining the incidence of Pa. chlamydospora from inoculated wounds. The study concludes that integrated control treatments where the biological control agent Trichoderma atroviride are applied together with benzimidazole fungicides such as carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl showed to be the most effective in reducing Pa. chlamydospora incidence in rootstock mother vine pruning wounds. Results from this study have provided new information regarding the protection of pruning wounds via the integration of biological and chemical control techniques applied to rootstock pruning wounds at the most susceptible time period. Considering the results obtained in this study it is suggested to prune as early in the dormant season as possible, before the end of May, and the best fungicide chemical group to provide protection for rootstock pruning wounds was benzimidazole in combination with T. atroviride applied within 24 hours after pruning occurred. However, further research would be necessary to develop a better understanding to produce protocols and commercial products. The application of these fungicide together with Trichoderma spp. in the field holds promise to improve control but would require further trials for possible commercialisation. For successful grapevine propagation and subsequent longevity of new established vineyards, the quality of the planted material plays a crucial role. Therefore, integrating existing information of GTD management in the grapevine propagation process with the knowledge attained from this thesis, can the quality of grapevine material be improved ensuring the success of the South African grape industry.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Een van die faktore wat bydra tot die afname in wingerdproduksie regoor die wêreld is siektes wat algemeen bekend staan as wingerdstamsiektes. Hierdie siektes word tipies veroorsaak deur xileem-bewoonde patogene wat 'n verskeidenheid simptome en 'n algehele vermindering in wingerdproduksie wêreldwyd veroorsaak. Tot dusver is daar groot kommer oor die manifestasie van hierdie patogene in wingerde met onderstamme en hul gepaardgaande voortplantingsmateriaal. Daar is egter beperkte en onvoldoende inligting beskikbaar oor die kwesbaarheid van Suid-Afrikaanse onderstamme vir hierdie patogene. Daarom is in hierdie studie die vatbaarheid van snoeiwonde sowel as die beskerming van hierdie wonde van kommersiële onderstamme wat in Suid-Afrika gebruik word vir Petri-siekte, wat deur Phaeomoniella chlamydospora veroorsaak word, beoordeel. Wondgevoeligheid is bepaal in gesertifiseerde onderstok moederblokke met twee van die onderstokvariëteite wat die meeste in Suid-Afrika geënt word, naamlik Ramsey en die US 8-7. Dit is bewerkstellig deur snoeiwonde met spoorsuspensies te inokuleer direk na snoei, sowel as 1, 7, 21 en 42 dae na snoei. Die proewe is na nege maande geëvalueer deur die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora in geïnokuleerde wonde te bepaal. 'n Algemene afname in die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora is tot 42 dae opgemerk met wonde wat 24 uur nadat dit gesnoei is die meeste vatbaar was. In vitro-ondersoeke van mycelia- en ontkiemingsinhibisies is uitgevoer om te bepaal of geselekteerde fungisieds wat chemiese groepe soos; bensamidasool, triasool, piridienkarboksamied en strobilurien effektief is teen Pa. chlamydospora. Die inhibering van die swamgroei is bepaal vir ses swamdoders. Die resultate wat verkry is, is gebruik om die EC50- waardes vir Pa. chlamydospora (LM310) te bepaal, en daar is waargeneem dat al die swamdoders effektief was teen Pa. chlamydospora. Verder is die lewensvatbaarheid van die selle beoordeel met behulp van drie van die swamdoders wat bekend is dat dit effektief is teen ontkieming deur middel van 'n mikrotiter-toets. EC50-waardes vir Pa. chlamydospora is bepaal en effektief gevind. In 'n studie met afgesnyde lote is chemikalieë wat getoon het dat dit effektief is deur middel van mycelia- en ontkiemingsstudies, tesame met ander beheermiddels, beoordeel deur wonde te behandel en uit te daag met Pa. chlamydosporespoorsuspensies (Ramsey, US 8-7 en 101-14 Mgt). Na 'n 4-week-inkubasietydperk is die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora deur middel van isolasies aangeteken, en daar is gevind dat verskeie van die chemikalieë baie effektief was om die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora te verlaag, en sodoende die wonde teen infeksie te beskerm. Gevolglik is hierdie beheermiddels verder geëvalueer in veldproewe wat uitgevoer is in 'n onderstokmoederkwekery. Snoeiwonde is onmiddellik na snoei met die geselekteerde beheermiddels behandel en met 'n Pa. chlamydospora-spoorsuspensie uitgedaag op 1 en 7 dae na snoei. Die proewe is na nege maande geëvalueer deur die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora van geinokuleerde wonde te bepaal. Die studie kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat geïntegreerde beheerbehandelings waar die biologiese beheermiddel Trichoderma atroviride saam met bensamidasool swamdoders soos carbendazim of thiophante-methyl toegedien word, die doeltreffendste, getoon het om die voorkoms van Pa. chlamydospora in snoeiwonde van onderstok moederplante te verminder. Resultate uit hierdie studie het nuwe inligting verskaf rakende die beskerming van snoeiwonde deur die integrasie van biologiese en chemiese beheertegnieke wat op onderstok snoeiwonde toegepas word op die mees vatbare tyd. Met inagneming van die resultate wat in hierdie studie verkry is, word voorgestel dat daar so vroeg as moontlik in die dormante seisoen, voor die einde van Mei, gesnoei word. Die beste chemiese groep wat beskerming bied vir die snoeiwonde van onderstokke, is bensamidasool in kombinasie met Trichoderma atroviride wat binne 24 uur na snoei toegedien moet word. Verdere navorsing sou egter nodig wees om 'n beter begrip van protokolle en kommersiële produkte te produseer. Die toediening van hierdie swamdoder saam met Trichoderma spp. op onderstok snoeiwonde beloof om beheer te verbeter. Dit sal verdere proewe benodig vir moontlike kommersialisering. Vir die suksesvolle voortplanting van wingerde en gevolglike lewensduur van nuwe gevestigde wingerde, speel die kwaliteit van die aangeplante materiaal 'n belangrike rol. Deur die bestaande inligting van wingerd stamsiekte-bestuur in die wingerdvoortplantingsproses te integreer met die kennis wat uit hierdie tesis verkry is, kan die kwaliteit van wingerdmateriaal dus verbeter word om die sukses van die Suid-Afrikaanse wingerdbedryf te verseker.
Description
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Grapevines -- South Africa, Pruning wounds, Mother block vineyards, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, Grapevine trunk diseases, Grapes -- Rootstocks -- Diseases and pests -- Control, UCTD
Citation