One of the primary concerns of the grapevine nursery industry is a broad range of taxonomically unrelated pathogens associated with grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), for which there are no effective remedies once planting material is infected. Due to the rapid expansion of wine regions, GTDs are escalating, as pathogens can be introduced during propagation, and diseases are often associated with poor planting practices and stress. Production practices in nurseries provide many opportunities for infection, through poor sanitation practices or introducing infected asymptomatic cuttings from mother vines. Control in nurseries is limited to hot water treatment and fungicide (biological or chemical) dips, with mixed results. In mature vineyards, the prevalence of GTDs has significantly increased with changes in production practices, loss of effective chemicals, predominance of susceptible cultivars and ageing of vineyards. Pruning wounds are the main infection portal for these pathogens and inoculum sources include a wide range of alternative hosts such as fruit crops and many introduced and/or native tree species. A good understanding of the etiology, biology and epidemiology of GTD fungi has led to the development of effective management strategies in the vineyard, through wound protection and remedial surgery. Successful disease management requires a holistic approach from the nursery to the vineyard. In this presentation, I will describe the available and effective strategies against GTDs at each phase of the plant’s life cycle, from the nursery to the mature vineyard.

Resumen del trabajo presentado en el XX International Plant Protection Congress, celebrado en Atenas (Grecia), del 1 al 5 de julio de 2024