TRUNK DISEASES

PESTS & DISEASES -

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS FACT SHEET

BLACK FOOT IN GRAPEVINE NURSERIES

KEY NOTES
Black foot is a lower trunk disease of grapevines caused by Cylindrocarpon fungi. The infectious pathogens can survive in soil after the removal of infected grapevines or other hosts. Canes used for grafting are rarely infected but may be contaminated by lying on soil. Mustard plants or mustard seed meal cultivated into soil can reduce Figure 1. Base of callussed graftling showing potential entry for Black foot. pathogen levels. Dormant grafted nursery vines can be hot water treated before delivery. the incompletely callused rootstock end, damage by soil insects or by root breakages after callusing or plant lifting. Plant-to-plant spread is likely via adjacent infected roots or by movement of spores in drainage water. Use of the same land, year after year, will increase the spore load of the soil and so increase the proportion of infected plants. Infection within trunk tissue progresses upwards in a dark, spreading block which kills the vascular tissue. This usually kills the vine before it can reach any shoots, so shoot infection is rare. However, harvested canes laid on soil before collection may become contaminated with the pathogen, which gains entry through recent wounds. Harvested dormant plants may become infected from attached soil.

SYMPTOMS
Grafted vines often show no significant symptoms while in nursery plots because early infections have not yet caused serious damage. Sometimes the vines may show signs of water stress and be stunted with chlorotic leaves, with uprooted plants showing reduced root and shoot mass. When dissected longitudinally, the internal wood tissues Figure 2. Broken off roots on graftling create potential entry for Black foot. can appear pinkish or purplish; this tissue later develops into dark streaks or patches. Black foot symptoms often appear near the base of the rootstock where the pathogen has invaded the trunk.

CONTROL
Individiual control methods are not 100% effective, so several methods should be integrated into a nursery management programme. Soil moisture: Planting sites should be well-drained because incidence of Black foot is usually greater in wet soils. Preplanting methods: 1. Rotate planting sites for one year by resting the soil or growing another crop between use as nursery beds. If a mustard crop is grown until flowering, once or twice (successively), with the crop incorporated into the soil each time, this will bio-fumigate the soil. 2. If it is not possible to rest the soil for one year, then incorporate mustard plants as above or mustard seed meal (160 g/m2) between plant harvesting in winter and planting in spring.

DISEASE CYCLE
The Cylindrocarpon species that cause Black foot persist in root fragments or as chlamydospores (resting spores) that can survive in soil for several years after their grape, fruit and forestry hosts are removed. Healthy plants placed in infested nursery soil can become infected Figure 3. Stem base showing dark internal rot caused by Black foot. through root or trunk wounds, such as

AUGUST 2013 - NZTD103 TRUNK DISEASES

PESTS & DISEASES -

TRUNK DISEASES

NEW ZEALAND WINEGROWERS FACT SHEET

Sanitation: 1. Grafting material should be treated in fungicide solution (Sporekill at 150 mL/100 L water) for at least one hour soon after harvesting, then drip-dried and cool stored. 2. Grafting areas should be cleaned and disinfected daily (with fungicide or 70% ethanol). Tables, grafting equipment and staff hands should be frequently washed and disinfected. 3. Grafted joins should be dipped in wax that contains a fungicide as soon as possible after grafting. 4. During callusing, sanitary measures should be used to ensure that callus crates and callus media are free of these pathogens. Crates and medium should be sterilised, e.g. with steam. Callussing medium may also be treated Figure 4. Sections through dormant rooted plant from nursery infected vine that has developed a second tier of roots due to Black foot disease. with captan, iprodione or Trichoflow. Hot water treatment: Dormant, harvested nursery vines can be hot water treated (50C for 30 minutes followed by 60 minutes in cold water). This provides 100% control, without significant reductions in subsequent budding or growth rate. Rootstock varieties: In soils with heavy disease pressure, Riparia gloire, 3309 and 5C vines have demonstrated more resistance than 101-14 and Schwarzmann, but there was little difference between rootstocks in soils with low disease pressure and none were completely resistant.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This fact sheet was written by Dr Marlene Jaspers, Lincoln University. Funding for this study was received from New Zealand Winegrowers and FRST (Tertiary Industry Funding).

DISCLAIMER
While care has been used in compiling this fact sheet New Zealand Winegrowers gives no prediction, warranty or assurance in relation to the accuracy of or fitness for any particular purpose, use or application of any information contained in this document. To the full extent permitted by law neither New Zealand Winegrowers nor any of its employees shall be liable for any cost (including legal costs), claim, liability, loss, damage, injury or the like, which may be suffered or incurred as a direct or indirect result of the reliance by any person on any information contained in this document.

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CONTACT:
New Zealand Winegrowers nzwine.com 09 303 3527

AUGUST 2013 - NZTD103 TRUNK DISEASES