Soilborne fungal pathogens affecting grapevine rootstocks: current status and future prospects

Grapevine diseases caused by soilborne fungal pathogens can cause significant reductions of yield and quality of fruit or wine production. Among them, black-foot and petri diseases have received special attention by plant pathologists due to its implication on the young grapevine decline syndrome, which has dramatically increased worldwide since the early 1990s, causing substantial economic losses and compromising the stable production in viticulture and the wine industry. In this paper, specific attention is given to the genetic and virulence diversity of the causal agents of these diseases. This information represents a good basis for use by plant pathologists and grapevine breeders for future development of grapevine rootstocks resistant to black-foot and petri diseases.