Control of Eutypa Dieback of Grape

In 1997, an in vitro assay was set up to screen and quickly evaluate a fungicide potential prior to field trials. This method allows the testing of fungicide efficacy to Eutypa lata infection by looking at the colonization of grape wood blocks treated with specific fungicides. This test does not require the use of ascospores, no differences were observed in controlling the disease when the inoculation was done with E. lata mycelium or an ascospore suspension. In 1997, a good correlation was observed between in vitro and in vivo trials for fungicide testing. Nectec paste and 1%Benlate in vitro prevented Eutypa colonization of grape wood blocks and also resulted in a high rate of protection of pruning wounds in field trials. Techniques have been set up to extract lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose from wood to measure then-composition in different grapevine cultivars before and after infection and subsequent deterioration by Elata. Moreover, techniques of DNA extraction from E. lata isolates and other grape pathogens was established as well as amplification of the ITS region of the DNA and restriction of this region with Alul enzyme.