Anthostomella blight

Anthostomella blight, caused by the fungus Anthostomella pullulans, is a disease affecting the woody parts of various plants. It is primarily characterized as a condition that targets stressed or damaged tissue, acting as a parasite that exploits the compromised physical barriers of the plant.

Cultivated grapevines are the primary host for this pathogen. The disease commonly attacks the cordons and canes, especially in areas where the bark has been damaged by environmental factors such as frost, sunburn, or mechanical wounds caused by viticultural operations.

Symptoms are manifested through the appearance of dark, sunken, or necrotic lesions on the bark. As the infection progresses, the affected tissue may crack, and small black fruiting bodies of the fungus emerge, giving the bark a speckled appearance. These areas often result in the dieback of shoots and loss of vigor in the affected part of the vine.

The development and spread of Anthostomella pullulans are highly dependent on high moisture levels and adequate temperature ranges. Wind and rain splash are the main mechanisms for spore dispersal, allowing the pathogen to move from debris or previously infected wood to new, vulnerable sites on the vine.

Effective management requires a combination of cultural and chemical strategies. Key preventative measures include the removal of infected wood, maintaining balanced nutrition to prevent plant stress, and the sterilization of pruning equipment to avoid cross-contamination. Preventive fungicide applications during early spring can also help manage the risk of infection.