Biocontrol of Grapevine Diseases, 2nd Edition

Dear Colleagues,

Grapevine crops, which are present in many countries, are subject to a variety of pathogenic attacks. Emphasis is placed here on the pathogens that, by attacking the grapevine organs such as leaves, grapes or wood, decrease plant productivity and longevity and diminish wine quality, causing considerable economic losses to the viticulture sector. The main leaf and berry pathogens are grey mould or powdery and downy mildews. The wood pathogens are known as grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) and their re-emergence, within the span of a mere two decades in the late 1990s, has become a subject of major concern for the viticulture sector. The main table grape- or wine-producing regions throughout the world are being attacked by these diseases and, with the exception of GTDs, they are frequently controlled by chemical pesticides, mostly fungicides, used especially for mildews. With regard to GTDs, no curative control methods have been available in Europe since the ban of sodium arsenite in the early 2000s, and experiments on fungicides have not produced any satisfactory curative or preventive products to control GTDs worldwide. As a consequence, biological control, based on microorganisms or natural products, are currently on the surge to find a suitable solution against grapevine diseases.

In this Special Issue, a special focus will be placed on potential microbial biocontrol agents (BCAs) that are mostly indigenous colonisers of grapevine organs (e.g., roots, leaves, grapes, wood tissues). In order to improve and ensureBCA efficacy from one year to another, the approach consists of testing BCAs in mother-vines, during the propagation process, and in the vineyards. Induction of plant resistance and/or physiological stress of pathogenic fungi is a consequence of BCA application on grapevine. New combinations of BCAs with different modes of actions can be used. Depending on the BCA, the incidence and behaviour of specific BCAs with various cultivars and their influence on the indigenous grapevine microbial communities over time could vary. This Special Issue will focus on microbial BCAs, in additon to their secondary metabolites or enzymes, or natural compounds. Special attention will be given to the combination of strategies, for instance by combining BCAs with other plant protection practices, such as cultural methods or tolerant plants.

In this Special Issue of the Journal of Fungi, entitled “Biocontrol of Grapevine Diseases”, research papers or reviews on these areas of research are welcome.

Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Native microbial strains that colonise the various organs of grapevines as a potential source of BCA to be used against grapevine diseases;
• Deciphering the direct or indirect mode of action of BCA used to control grapevine pathogens;
• Plant/pathogens/BCA interactions via omics approaches to study the induced resistance on grapevine and/or the physiological stress of pathogenic fungi;
• Microbial secondary metabolites or enzymes, or natural compounds, used to control grapevine diseases;
• Influence of BCAs on the diversity and composition of the indigenous grapevine-microbial communities over time.

Prof. Dr. Patrice Rey
Guest Editor

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• biocontrol agents (BCA)
• grapevine diseases
• microorganisms
• natural compounds
• combination of BCAs
• induction of resistance
• pathogenic fungal stress
• native microbial communities