ASSESMENT OF ASPERGILLUS SPP. INFECTION IN VINEYARDS OF THE AEGEAN REGION OF TURKEY

The Aegean region, especially Manisa province has an important potential of seedless ‘Sultana’ table grape in Turkey. Aspergillus spp. and other fungal diseases of grape prevent the economical production of grapes in this area. This study was aimed to determine the infection of Aspergillus spp. and other fungal diseases of grape and relationship with possible effects of temperature, insect damages, and other mechanical practices in grapevines. In 2009 and 2010, 1383 grape samples were collected from five grapevines in the district of Manisa (Alasehir). Samples were taken from buds, leaves, flowers and mature berries stage of grapes. We found Alternaria spp. (49%), Aspergillus spp. (31%), Penicillium spp.(7.9%) and Botrytis cinerea (5.3%) and the other fungal isolates (6.4%) were isolated especially late in the season. In 2009, 285 and in 2010, 142 Aspergillus spp. cultures were isolated. It was also observed that there was a relationship between berries damaged by Lobesia botrana larvae or mechanical cracks and Aspergillus spp. infection in table grapes. In both years, high temperatures in July (28°C) had also an important role in colonization of Aspergillus spp. on grape. It was important since that stage coincided with the period of harvest. This information is critical to developing disease management approaches during the cold storage of table grapes and raisins.