Black Dead Arm and Basal Canker of Vitis vinifera cv. Red Globe Caused by Botryosphaeria obtusa in Chile

Several years ago, Vitis vinifera cv. Red Globe vines (over 6 years old), started to show disease symptoms approximately 10 weeks after bud break. Symptoms first appeared on the leaves at the base of the shoots and then spread to other leaves, continuing to appear throughout the growing season. Two forms of the disease (severe and mild) were observed, each case leading to premature leaf fall. The severe form was characterized by dieback of one or more shoots accompanied by leaf drop and shriveling and drying of fruit clusters. The mild form was characterized by wine-red spots on the leaf margins or the leaf blade, which coalesced to form large zones of necrosis between the veins and the margins of the leaf. Fruit clusters may wither. If the bark is scraped off, a brown streak, 1 to 2 cm wide, was often seen in the wood. The streaking began at the base of the affected shoot and extended upward to the ground level, eventually resulting in a basal canker. Botryosphaeria obtusa (Schwein.) Shoemaker (anamorph ...