First report of Fomitiporia punctata infecting kiwifruit.

During 2000 and 2001, a wood discoloration and decay of 10- to 12-year-old kiwifruit vines (Actinidia deliciosa (Chev.) Liang & Ferguson) was observed in vineyards in all major kiwifruit-growing areas of Greece. Leaves became chlorotic or necrotic, dry, and abscised prematurely. Fruits dropped before reaching full maturity. Necrosis of shoots and twigs progressed from the shoot tips toward the trunk. If the infected twigs were pruned early, the vine occasionally produced new shoots. Cross sections of infected trunks and shoots revealed a light-colored soft rot in the center, surrounded by brown, hard, necrotic wood resembling the esca disease of grapevine, caused by Fomitiporia punctata. From the white rotted areas, a fungus was isolated that formed a dense aerial mycelium with cream-yellow to light-brown colonies on potato dextrose agar (PDA). The fungus was identified as F. punctata (Fr.) Murrill by M. Fischer, Weinbauinstitut, Freiburg-Germany, (personal communication). Pathogenicity tests were perform...