Ceratocystis ficicola causes vascular wilt of fig trees in Japan, invading root systems and the main stems eventually leading to tree death. In surveys from 2018 to 2020 in fig orchards in Greece, this fungus was detected in two separated regions. The fungus was consistently isolated from infected wood and from rhizosphere soil. The isolates were identified based on multi-locus phylogenetic analyses of rpb2, bt1 and tef1 gene regions and detailed morphological characteristics, including comparisons with an ex-type isolate of C. ficicola from Japan. The pathogenicity of Greek isolates was proven on Ficus carica and F. benjamina plants. Ceratocystis ficicola is a soil-borne pathogen, and the occurrence of vascular wilt outbreaks suggest that the pathogen spreads within and between orchards with infested soil and wood debris during ploughing. The pathogen is also spreading in Greece with infected propagation material. This is the first detailed report of C. ficicola outside Japan, and there is concern over potential spread of the pathogen to other Mediterranean countries, where approx. 70% of the world fig production occurs.

Climatic conditions and land availability during summer allow vegetable growers to extensively apply soil solarization (SS) in several regions of Greece, particularly after the introduction of virtually impermeable films (VIF). Especially during the last decade, SS is drastically expanding and has not only verified its effectiveness in controlling serious soilborne pathogens of vegetables but in certain cases, it has helped growers establish two and even three consecutive crops within one cropping season. Furthermore, SS contributed to cost reduction compared with chemical soil disinfestation, had a significant impact on the export of high-quality products in several European countries, and finally supported the expansion of organic farming in the country. This paper is reporting how successful research could be translated into applicable and profitable agricultural business by controlling soilborne pathogens, and it is demonstrating modes of successful promotion of SS application by cooperating with the private sector and pioneer farmers around Greece.

Scientifically qualified specialists able to work as Phytiatry (plant medicine) doctors are needed world-wide.However, phytiatry as a distinct University science has not been introduced so far.Unfortunately, its establishment was unsuccessful regardless of the timeless scientific efforts.Obviously, Phytiatry doctors will be able to follow careers as diagnosticians in plant health clinics, as crop consultants, plant pest inspectors, extension specialists, phyto pharmaceutical industry consultants, small business owners, applied research specialists for research institutes, or other plant health professionals.Our proposal constitutes a new proposal for a universal effort to introduce Phytiatry in universities, so to elevate and uniform educational status and specialization, consequently creating a new attractive profession of Phytiatry doctors.Phytiatry, as a University multidisciplinary science could include several agronomical and biological scientific disciplines, having as core phytopathology, entomology and nematology, weed science and phyto pharmacy, soil management and fertilizers etc. to install a five-year University course as stands for Veterinary Medicine internationally, offering to the future plant doctors the opportunity of obtaining the necessary skills and qualifications starting from an undergraduate level.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 102, No. 4First Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in Greece PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Colletotrichum acutatum Causing Anthracnose on Olives in GreeceM. K. Iliadi, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, and D. I. TsitsigiannisM. K. Iliadi, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, and D. I. Tsitsigiannis†Corresponding author: D. I. Tsitsigiannis; E-mail: E-mail Address: dimtsi@aua.grhttp://orcid.org/0000-0003-2006-6106AffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations M. K. Iliadi , Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Greece E. C. Tjamos , Hellenic Plant Clinic Center, 16673 Voula, Greece P. P. Antoniou D. I. Tsitsigiannis † , Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Greece. Published Online:25 Jan 2018https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-09-17-1451-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Anthracnose is the main disease of olive fruit (Olea europaea L.) that is caused by different species of Colletotrichum spp. primarily belonging to two complexes, C. acutatum sensu lato (s.l.) and C. gloeosporioides s.l. (Cacciola et al. 2012; Damm et al. 2012; Schena et al. 2014). Observations in January 2015 in >20 olive groves in the Aitoloakarnania region (West-Central Greece) showed severe symptoms of mummified olive fruits in about 50% of trees, in table olive cultivar Kalamon. In March 2015, severe brown discoloration of inflorescences with 40 to 50% disease severity was observed in >15 orchards of cultivar Koroneiki in the island of Zakynthos (West Greece). In autumn 2015, mature olive fruits showed typical anthracnose symptoms with dark necrotic lesions and rot with abundant orange conidial masses that resulted in premature fruit drop or mummification. Symptoms appeared also on tree twigs and leaves, leading to necroses, severe defoliation, and branchlet death. The disease also affected the oil quality by increasing the acidity and the peroxide number in oil-producing varieties. Since then, autumn and winter heavy rainfalls resulted in extensive spread of anthracnose in West Greece and Peloponnese in 2016, causing severe losses in several olive cultivars. Stereoscopic and microscopic observations showed acervuli on fruits, anthers, pistils, petals, and sepals of flowers after 2 to 3 days incubation time under high humidity. The causal agent was isolated directly from infected pistils and fruits in potato dextrose agar, and microscopic examinations showed acervuli with typical conidia of the genus Colletotrichum that were subcylindrical with rounded ends, straight, hyaline, and aseptate, 10.8 to 18.1 µm long (mean = 14.5 µm) and 3.4 to 4.7 µm wide (mean = 4.1 µm) (n = 60 conidia). To identify the fungal species, DNA from two single-spore isolates from fruits and flowers was extracted, and six genes were amplified (ITS, GAPDH, CHS-1, HIS3, ACT, and TUB2) using the primers reviewed in Damm et al. (2012). PCR products were sequenced, and BLAST analysis showed 100% identity to C. acutatum for both isolates (GenBank accession nos. KY305483 [ITS1-5.8-ITS2], MF979822 [CHS-1], MF979823 [HIS3], MF979824 [GAPDH], MF979825 [TUB2], and MF979826 [ACT]). Then, pathogenicity tests were carried out to confirm the ability of C. acutatum isolates to cause disease. Fruits and leaves were surface disinfected with 0.1% NaClO for 3 min and rinsed with ddH2O. Artificial inoculation of three different isolates from fruits and flowers was performed by spraying with a conidia suspension (106 conidia/ml) in five olive fruits and five tree leaves per isolate in cultivars Kalamon and Koroneiki (Gomes et al. 2012; Talhinhas et al. 2009). Control fruits and leaves were treated with sterilized water. After inoculation, olive fruits and leaves were enclosed in plastic boxes and kept at 26°C with a 12-h photoperiod. First rot symptoms and formation of acervuli of the pathogen were initiated 3 days after inoculation. Eight days postinoculation, all treatments exhibited symptoms similar to those observed in olive orchards (extensive fruit rot and leaves with necrotic lesions), and C. acutatum was reisolated from the symptomatic olive tissues, confirming their identity and Koch's postulates. Neither symptom was observed in control plants, nor were positive fungal isolations obtained. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. acutatum causing fruit rot and flower and leaf necroses on olive trees in Greece.References:Cacciola, S. O., et al. 2012. J. Plant Pathol. 94:29. ISI, Google ScholarDamm, U., et al. 2012. Stud. Mycol. 73:37. https://doi.org/10.3114/sim0010 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarGomes, S., et al. 2012. J. Agric. Sci. 4:101. Google ScholarSchena, L., et al. 2014. Plant Pathol. 63:437. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12110 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarTalhinhas, P., et al. 2009. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 296:31. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1574-6968.2009.01613.x Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 102, No. 4 April 2018SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 15 Mar 2018Published: 25 Jan 2018First Look: 8 Nov 2017Accepted: 7 Nov 2017 Page: 820 Information© 2018 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited bySusceptibility of Italian olive cultivars to various Colletotrichum species associated with fruit anthracnose6 October 2022 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 72, No. 2Fungal Phytopathogenic Spore First Assessment in an Olive Orchard of Northwestern Spain19 January 2022 | Agronomy, Vol. 12, No. 2Colletotrichum acutatum (black spot of strawberry)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumCharacterization of Fungi Associated with Olive Fruit Rot and Olive Oil Degradation in Crete, Southern GreeceEmmanouil A. Markakis, Emmanouil N. Roditakis, Georgios S. Kalantzakis, Anastasia Chatzaki, Stefanos K. Soultatos, Marianna Stavrakaki, Georgia I. Tavlaki, Georgios C. Koubouris, Nikolaos Bagkis, and Dimitrios E. Goumas7 November 2021 | Plant Disease, Vol. 105, No. 11Colletotrichum species and complexes: geographic distribution, host range and conservation status29 September 2021 | Fungal Diversity, Vol. 110, No. 1Diversity of Colletotrichum Species Associated with Olive Anthracnose Worldwide9 September 2021 | Journal of Fungi, Vol. 7, No. 9Olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum in Uruguay: symptoms, species diversity and pathogenicity on flowers and fruits20 April 2021 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 160, No. 3Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Copper Nanoparticles for the Control of Leaf Spot and Anthracnose Diseases of Olive24 June 2021 | Nanomaterials, Vol. 11, No. 7Biomanagement of Fusarium spp. associated with oil cropsAn integrated approach to improve plant protection against olive anthracnose caused by the Colletotrichum acutatum species complex29 May 2020 | PLOS ONE, Vol. 15, No. 5Olive Anthracnose and Its Management by Fungal Endophytes: An Overview3 August 2019Olive anthracnose: a yield- and oil quality-degrading disease caused by several species of Colletotrichum that differ in virulence, host preference and geographical distribution16 April 2018 | Molecular Plant Pathology, Vol. 19, No. 8

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 101, No. 12First Report of Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Alternaria Bud and Blossom Blight of Olives PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Alternaria alternata as the Causal Agent of Alternaria Bud and Blossom Blight of OlivesC. S. Lagogianni, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, and D. I. TsitsigiannisC. S. Lagogianni, E. C. Tjamos, P. P. Antoniou, and D. I. Tsitsigiannis†Corresponding author: D. I. Tsitsigiannis; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2006-6106AffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations C. S. Lagogianni , Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece E. C. Tjamos , Hellenic Plant Clinic Center, 16673 Voula, Greece P. P. Antoniou D. I. Tsitsigiannis † , Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855, Athens, Greece. Published Online:13 Oct 2017https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-17-0527-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat A severe blight of buds and flowers in olive trees (Olea europaea L.) was observed in the Aitoloakarnania region, West-Central Greece, during the 2015 to 2017 growth seasons. Symptoms appeared in buds and expandable flowers of >100 trees cv. Kalamon in 30 olive groves (50 to 60% disease incidence). Necrotic buds and flowers appeared scattered in the tree, reaching up to 70% disease severity in some trees. Microscopic observations of dead buds and flower tissues showed abundant Alternaria-like conidia. Dead buds and dead flowers (50 each) were collected from 50 olive trees cv. Kalamon in December 2015, surface-sterilized in 0.5% NaClO for 10 min, rinsed with sterile ddH2O, immersed in 70% EtOH for 3 min, rinsed again with sterile ddH2O, dried in sterile filter paper, and finally placed in potato dextrose agar and in Rose-Bengal media. Plates were incubated at 25οC with a 12-h photoperiod for 5 days. Dark green fungal colonies with septate hyphae and conidia were consistently isolated from all diseased buds and flowers. Conidia were characteristic of Alternaria spp., brown with conidiophores in chains. Conidia of a representative isolate measured an average body length of 23.9 ± 1.1 (16.9 to 30.5) μm, an average body width of 9.4 ± 0.4 (7.0 to 12.0) μm, and the length-width ratio was 2.5 ± 0.2 (n = 60). The percentage of spores with beaks was 55% and presented 2.8 ± 0.9 (1 to 4) transverse septa and 0.5 ± 0.4 (0 to 1) vertical septa. The cell number of conidia was 5.5 ± 1.0. These morphological characteristics were comparable to those of A. alternata (Simmons 2007). To identify the fungus to species level, DNA from five single-spore isolates was extracted and the endopolygalacturonase (endoPG), Alternaria major allergen (Alta1), and ITS1-5.8-ITS2 genes were amplified and further sequenced using primers PG3/PG2b (Andrew et al. 2009), Alt-for/Alt-rev (Woudenberg et al. 2015), and ITS4/ITS5, respectively. BLAST analysis showed 99 to 100% identity to the type species A. alternata for all isolates and sequence data were submitted to GenBank (accession nos. KY923228 [AltPg-1], KY923227 [Alta1], and KY750255 [ITS1-5.8-ITS2]). Pathogenicity tests were carried out by spraying conidia suspensions (106 conidia/ml) of four different isolates on four branches (one branch/isolate) that included flowers, buds, stems, and leaves from a healthy 4-year-old olive tree cv. Kalamon or Koroneiki, in April 2015 (five replicate trees/cultivar). Three control plants of each cultivar were sprayed with sterilized distilled water (Berbegal et al. 2014). Plants were covered with transparent plastic bags for 10 days and trees were kept in a greenhouse at 20 to 25°C for 30 days under natural light conditions. Disease symptoms of necrotic blossoms and buds appeared in the infected trees of all isolates in both cultivars and were similar to those observed under natural infection in the region of Aitoloakarnania. The fungi were reisolated from dead buds and flowers as described before, confirming Koch's postulates. Neither symptoms nor positive isolations were observed in control plants. Alternaria spp. are well known pathogens that infect a wide range of fruits (citrus, pomegranate, olive, pome fruits) (Basım et al. 2017), but they have never been observed in olive buds and flowers. For the disease reported here, we suggest the name "Alternaria bud and blossom blight of olives." To the best of our knowledge, this is the first worldwide report of a disease caused by Alternaria spp. in buds and blossoms of olive trees.References:Andrew, M., et al. 2009. Mycologia 101:95. https://doi.org/10.3852/08-135 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarBerbegal, M., et al. 2014. Plant Dis. 98:689. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-13-0717-PDN Link, ISI, Google ScholarBasım, E., et al. 2017. Crop Prot. 92:79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2016.10.013 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarSimmons, E. G. 2007. Alternaria: An Identification Manual. APS Press, St. Paul, MN. Google ScholarWoudenberg, J. H. C., et al. 2015. Stud. Mycol. 82:1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.simyco.2015.07.001 Crossref, ISI, Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 101, No. 12 December 2017SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 16 Nov 2017Published: 13 Oct 2017First Look: 2 Aug 2017Accepted: 31 Jul 2017 Page: 2151 Information© 2017 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited bySpecies of the Genera Neopestalotiopsis and Alternaria as Dominant Pathogen Species Attacking Mastic Trees (Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia)21 January 2023 | Microbiology Research, Vol. 14, No. 1An Insight into an Olive Scab on the "Istrska Belica" Variety: Host‐Pathogen Interactions and Phyllosphere Mycobiome28 October 2022 | Microbial Ecology, Vol. 20Morphology, phylogeny, and pathogenicity of Trichothecium, Alternaria, and Fusarium species associated with panicle rot on Chenopodium quinoa in Shanxi Province, China22 September 2021 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 71, No. 2Alternaria alternata (alternaria leaf spot)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumFirst report of Alternaria alternata causing flower blight on Camellia sinensis in Hefei, ChinaBeverage Plant Research, Vol. 2, No. 1Alternaria alternata as the cause of decline and necrosis on olive tree cuttings in Greece4 March 2021 | Australasian Plant Disease Notes, Vol. 16, No. 1Characterization of Fungi Associated with Olive Fruit Rot and Olive Oil Degradation in Crete, Southern GreeceEmmanouil A. Markakis, Emmanouil N. Roditakis, Georgios S. Kalantzakis, Anastasia Chatzaki, Stefanos K. Soultatos, Marianna Stavrakaki, Georgia I. Tavlaki, Georgios C. Koubouris, Nikolaos Bagkis, and Dimitrios E. Goumas7 November 2021 | Plant Disease, Vol. 105, No. 11Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Alternaria spp. Isolated from European PearsJoseph B. DeShields and Achala N. KC24 October 2021 | Plant Disease, Vol. 105, No. 9Filamentous fungi as biocontrol agents in olive (Olea europaea L.) diseases: Mycorrhizal and endophytic fungiCrop Protection, Vol. 146Identification of Alternaria spp. as causal agent of dead flower buds disease of pear (Pyrus communis) in the Netherlands and methods for disease control2 September 2019 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 155, No. 3Fungal Communities Associated with Peacock and Cercospora Leaf Spots in Olive12 June 2019 | Plants, Vol. 8, No. 6Spatial and temporal variation of fungal endophytic richness and diversity associated to the phyllosphere of olive cultivarsFungal Biology, Vol. 123, No. 1

HomeIPMSoil Solarization: Theory and PracticeCHAPTER 26: Soil Solarization in Greece PreviousNext CHAPTER 26: Soil Solarization in GreeceEleftherios C. Tjamos, Polymnia P. Antoniou, Sotiris E. Tjamos, Epaminondas J. Paplomatas, and Dimitrios I. TsitsigiannisEleftherios C. TjamosSearch for more papers by this author, Polymnia P. AntoniouSearch for more papers by this author, Sotiris E. TjamosSearch for more papers by this author, Epaminondas J. PaplomatasSearch for more papers by this author, and Dimitrios I. TsitsigiannisSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations Eleftherios C. Tjamos Polymnia P. Antoniou Sotiris E. Tjamos Epaminondas J. Paplomatas Dimitrios I. Tsitsigiannis Published Online:2 Aug 2017https://doi.org/10.1094/9780890544198.032AboutSectionsPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Abstract Greece was among the first countries (1977) to prove the potential of the method, primarily against certain serious soilborne fungal pathogens of tomatoes and later against several soilborne pathogens of various plastic house or field crops. The first successful experiments in Greece that showed the effectiveness of soil solarization in controlling Verticillium dahlia were performed in the Iria region of Argolis County using globe artichoke as a perennial Verticillium host. Despite the proven effectiveness of solarization across three decades, its extensive application in Greece was limited. Among other reasons, the widespread use of broadspectrum fumigants, such as methyl bromide, and the dependence of solarization on weather conditions and land availability for at least 4 weeks delayed its broad adoption by farmers. Current field application of soil solarization in Greece basically relies on the effective professional promotion of the method. Furthermore, the contribution of extension plant pathologists in properly training farmers was also very helpful. Finally, farmers who successfully apply soil solarization in their fields act as a reference point among their colleagues in small and large agricultural communities. Additionally, the needs of organic or integrated farming for soil disinfestation and the universal demand for quality agricultural products convinced Greek farmers to extensively apply soil solarization alone or in combination with other methods. DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Soil Solarization: Theory and PracticeISBN:978-0-89054-419-8 Metrics Pages: 223-229 InformationPDF download

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 101, No. 6First Report of Phytophthora palmivora Causing Fruit Rot on Pomegranate in Greece PreviousNext DISEASE NOTES OPENOpen Access licenseFirst Report of Phytophthora palmivora Causing Fruit Rot on Pomegranate in GreeceE. A. Markakis, A. K. Tzima, S. C. Palavouzis, P. P. Antoniou, E. J. Paplomatas, and E. C. TjamosE. A. Markakis, A. K. Tzima, S. C. Palavouzis, P. P. Antoniou, E. J. Paplomatas, and E. C. TjamosAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations E. A. Markakis A. K. Tzima S. C. Palavouzis P. P. Antoniou E. J. Paplomatas E. C. Tjamos , Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, Votanikos 11855, Athens, Greece. Published Online:31 Mar 2017https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-11-16-1691-PDNAboutSectionsSupplemental ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a dynamically increasing alternative crop for Greece grown on more than 2,000 ha. In September 2016, a severe fruit rot disease of pomegranate cv. Wonderful was observed in fields of Lamia, Fthiotida, Greece. Symptoms appeared after heavy early-autumn rainfalls, on fruits that were mainly at the lower part of the trees. Initially, small, circular, light brown, water-soaked lesions covered by white Phytophthora-like spores appeared on the fruit surface. The lesions rapidly enlarged superficially and internally, causing partial or entire fruit rot, whereas no other part of the tree was affected. Disease incidence in orchards was estimated at 10 to 30%. A Phytophthora sp. was consistently and readily isolated from the edges of symptomatic fleshy mesocarp tissue, previously surface-sterilized with 95% ethanol, on potato dextrose agar (PDA). To obtain single hyphal isolates, hyphal tips were transferred into new PDA and the growth rate of the oomycete was 9.0 mm/day at 25°C in the dark. Microscopic observations revealed papillated, ovoid and ellipsoid sporangia measuring 27.6 to 72.0 × 23.0 to 36.8 μm (avg. 47.7 × 30.4 μm) with short pedicels (1.0 to 9.0 μm, avg. 3.4 μm) developing on sympodial sporangiophores after 10 days of growth on PDA. Terminal or intercalary chlamydospores were spherical, thick-walled, ranging from 18.5 to 45.9 μm (avg. 32.7 μm) in diameter. DNA from a representative single-hyphae isolate (code PH5ROD) was extracted and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified using the universal primers ITS5 and ITS4 (White et al. 1990). The PCR product was sequenced and deposited in GenBank (accession no. KY242491). On the basis of morphological characteristics (Erwin and Ribeiro 1996) and a BLAST search with 100% identity to published ITS sequences of P. palmivora isolates in GenBank (KT148926, KT148928), the oomycete was identified as P. palmivora. For pathogenicity tests, 20 pomegranate fruits cv. Wonderful were artificially inoculated with the isolate PH5ROD by removing a 4.0 × 2.0 mm disc of the leathery fruit exocarp, inserting a 4.0 mm-diameter mycelial plug of a 10-day-old PDA culture, and covering the hole with the detached exocarp disc. Fruits were sprayed with sterilized distilled water, enclosed in plastic bags, and kept at 25°C with a 12-h photoperiod. Control fruits were inoculated with sterilized PDA plugs. Five days post inoculation, all inoculated fruits exhibited symptoms similar to those observed in orchards, whereas P. palmivora was consistently reisolated, thus confirming Koch's postulates. Neither symptoms nor positive isolations were observed in control plants. Pathogenicity tests were repeated twice. P. palmivora has been reported as the causal agent of pomegranate fruit rot in India (Erwin and Ribeiro 1996) and crown and root rot on pomegranate trees in Turkey (Türkölmez et al. 2016). This is the first report of P. palmivora causing fruit rot on pomegranate in Greece. This disease could result in destructive epidemics after severe rainfalls and cause heavy losses to pomegranate production. Therefore, effective management practices should be investigated and applied.References:Erwin, D. C., and Ribeiro, O. K. 1996. Phytophthora Diseases Worldwide. APS Press, St. Paul, MN. Google ScholarTürkölmez, Ş., et al. 2016. Plant Dis. 100:227. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-15-0396-PDN Link, ISI, Google ScholarWhite, T. J., et al. 1990. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego. Crossref, Google ScholarDetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 101, No. 6 June 2017SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 17 May 2017Published: 31 Mar 2017First Look: 27 Feb 2017Accepted: 20 Feb 2017 Pages: 1060-1060 Information© 2017 The American Phytopathological SocietyCited byPhytophthora palmivora (coconut budrot)CABI Compendium, Vol. CABI CompendiumMorphological and molecular characterization of Phytophthora species associated with root and crown rot of pomegranate in Iran5 December 2020 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 70, No. 3Phytophthora Species Causing Root and Collar Rot of Pomegranate in Turkey29 May 2020 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 157, No. 3Phytophthora oleae , a new root pathogen of wild olives12 April 2019 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 68, No. 5

In the present study, the efficiency of the biocontrol agent Paenibacillus alvei (strain K165) to suppress Verticillium wilt of olive tree was evaluated in greenhouse and field experiments. In planta bioassays were conducted under greenhouse conditions and revealed that K165 significantly decreased symptoms on the susceptible cultivar 'Amfissis' by 44.5 and 51.6 % of the final disease severity index and relative area under disease progress curve (AUDPC), respectively. Thereafter, the suppressive effect of K165 against Verticillium dahliae was studied for two consecutive years (2007 and 2008) in a newly established olive orchard of the susceptible cv Amfissis and the resistant cv Kalamon, naturally infested with V. dahliae. The evaluation of K165 was carried out by recording symptoms, isolations and qPCR quantification of the pathogen in olive tissues. In both years, 'Amfissis' trees treated with K165 showed significantly lower final disease severity and relative AUDPC values compared to the non treated controls, whereas, in 2008 decreased symptom severity was associated with significantly lower V. dahliae DNA levels in plant tissues, indicating the suppressive effect of the biocontrol agent. However, no significant suppression was observed in 'Kalamon'. Pathogen isolations along with qPCR quantification revealed a seasonal fluctuation of V. dahliae biomass in olive tissues with higher amounts occurring in May, and lower amounts in February, August and November. This is the first report of biological control of Verticillium wilt of olive tree under field conditions, associated with reduced pathogen levels inside the xylem tissues.

Large-scale demonstration applications of soil solarization were carried out in Greece (2010-2012) to minimize the use of soil fumigants and reduce application costs by evaluating the effectiveness of specific impermeable plastic sheets used singly or combined with half or full dose against soilborne pathogens. In certain areas the trials were focused on the control of Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum of watermelons in open fields, Phytophthora fragariae, Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. fragariae of strawberries and Sclerotinia minor of lettuce in plastic houses. In other cases impermeable plastics and half the recommended dose of fumigants were compared with common polyethylene sheets combined with full dose against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici and Meloidogyne sp. of tomatoes.Strip mechanical applications of 6 weeks soil solarization with impermeable transparent plastics against Verticillium dahliae and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum of watermelons resulted in the control of both pathogens, increased fruit weight and total yield and in parallel demonstrated a long-term effect of the method. Similarly manual plastic house soil solarization application demonstrated that two consecutive lettuce plantations could be established followed by a third watermelon plantation within a growing season just after a single soil solarization application. This residual effect was attributed to the extended beneficial action of the method. Restricted symptom development and increased yield were also demonstrated in extensive strawberry plastic house plantations. As for plastic house tomato plantations it was shown that impermeable plastics and half the recommended dose of certain soil fumigants was equal or superior to the use of polyethylene plastic with full the recommended dose. Indeed, combined soil solarization drastically affected Meloidogyne populations and the saprophytic Fusarium oxysporum along with restricted symptom severity due to the nematodes, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici and corky root rot caused by Pyrenochaeta lycopersici.

HomePlant DiseaseVol. 96, No. 3Verticillium Wilt, A Major Threat to Olive Production: Current Status and Future Prospects for its Management Next FeatureVerticillium Wilt, A Major Threat to Olive Production: Current Status and Future Prospects for its ManagementRafael M. Jiménez-Díaz, Matteo Cirulli, Giovanni Bubici, María del Mar Jiménez-Gasco, Polymnia P. Antoniou, and Eleftherios C. TjamosRafael M. Jiménez-DíazCorresponding author: R. M. Jiménez-Díaz, Professor of Plant Pathology, Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Córdoba; and Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible, CSIC, P.O. Box 4084, 14080 Córdoba, Spain; E-mail: E-mail Address: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author, Matteo CirulliSearch for more papers by this author, Giovanni BubiciSearch for more papers by this author, María del Mar Jiménez-GascoSearch for more papers by this author, Polymnia P. AntoniouSearch for more papers by this author, and Eleftherios C. TjamosSearch for more papers by this authorAffiliationsAuthors and Affiliations Rafael M. Jiménez-Díaz , Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus do Excoloncia Internacional Agroalimentario ceiA3, and Instiluto de Agricultura Sostenible, CSIC, Córdoba, Spain Matteo Cirulli Giovanni Bubici , Dipartunento di Biologia e Chimtca Agro-Forestale ed Ambientale, sezione Paiologia Vegetale, Università degli Studi di Bah ‘Aldo Moro’, Bari, Italy María del Mar Jiménez-Gasco , Department of Plant Pathology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA Polymnia P. Antoniou Eleftherios C. Tjamos , Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece Published Online:8 Feb 2012https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-06-11-0496AboutSectionsPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailWechat DetailsFiguresLiterature CitedRelated Vol. 96, No. 3 March 2012SubscribeISSN:0191-2917e-ISSN:1943-7692 Metrics Article History Issue Date: 8 Feb 2012Published: 8 Feb 2012First Look: 2 Nov 2011 Pages: 304-329 Information© 2012 The American Phytopathological SocietyPDF downloadCited byAntifungal activity of local isolates of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin against Verticillium dahliae Kleb. causing wilt disease of cotton12 May 2023 | Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control, Vol. 33, No. 1Innovations towards sustainable olive crop management: a new dawn by precision agriculture including endo-therapy6 June 2023 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 14Self-assembled thiophanate-methyl/star polycation complex prevents plant cell-wall penetration and fungal carbon utilization during cotton infection by Verticillium dahliaeInternational Journal of Biological Macromolecules, Vol. 239Establishment of a method to collect root exudates from olive plants and its validation by determining the effect of root exudates against Verticillium dahliae16 November 2022 | Plant and Soil, Vol. 483, No. 1-2Mating types and physiological races of Verticillium dahliae in Solanaceae crops in Brazil30 September 2022 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 165, No. 1Uniting the Role of Endophytic Fungi against Plant Pathogens and Their Interaction3 January 2023 | Journal of Fungi, Vol. 9, No. 1High Input of Nitrogen Fertilization and Short Irrigation Frequencies Forcefully Promote the Development of Verticillium Wilt of Olive16 December 2022 | Plants, Vol. 11, No. 24Avoidant/resistant rather than tolerant olive rootstocks are more effective in controlling Verticillium wilt17 October 2022 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 13Development of a robust, VdNEP gene‐based molecular marker to differentiate between pathotypes of Verticillium dahliae15 April 2022 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 71, No. 6Evaluation of Olive Varieties Resistance for Sustainable Management of Verticillium Wilt29 July 2022 | Sustainability, Vol. 14, No. 15Integrated Management of Verticillium Wilt of Cacao5 July 2022 | Frontiers in Agronomy, Vol. 4Root and stem rot, and wilting of olive tree caused by Dematophora necatrix and associated with Emmia lacerata in Central Italy23 January 2022 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 163, No. 1Primer Choice and Xylem-Microbiome-Extraction Method Are Important Determinants in Assessing Xylem Bacterial Community in Olive Trees16 May 2022 | Plants, Vol. 11, No. 10The Infestation of Olive Fruits by Bactrocera oleae (Rossi) Modifies the Expression of Key Genes in the Biosynthesis of Volatile and Phenolic Compounds and Alters the Composition of Virgin Olive Oil2 March 2022 | Molecules, Vol. 27, No. 5Resistance Induction in Olive Tree (Olea europaea) Against Verticillium Wilt by Two Beneficial Microorganisms and a Copper Phosphite Fertilizer23 February 2022 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 13Elucidating the Effect of Nutritional Imbalances of N and K on the Infection of Verticillium dahliae in Olive29 January 2022 | Journal of Fungi, Vol. 8, No. 2Influence of Cultivar and Biocontrol Treatments on the Effect of Olive Stem Extracts on the Viability of Verticillium dahliae Conidia20 February 2022 | Plants, Vol. 11, No. 4Neofusicoccum mediterraneum Is Involved in a Twig and Branch Dieback of Olive Trees Observed in Salento (Apulia, Italy)2 January 2022 | Pathogens, Vol. 11, No. 1Morphological characterization of Verticillium dahliae isolated from olive trees in District Mardan27 January 2022 | Biomedical Letters, Vol. 8, No. 1Characterization of Verticillium dahliae isolates from olive and susceptibility of local olive cultivars to Verticillium wilt in Istria, CroatiaScientia Horticulturae, Vol. 292Divergent abiotic spectral pathways unravel pathogen stress signals across species19 October 2021 | Nature Communications, Vol. 12, No. 1Unravelling the relationships among Verticillium wilt, irrigation, and susceptible and tolerant olive cultivars31 August 2021 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 70, No. 9Arabidopsis P4 ATPase-mediated cell detoxification confers resistance to Fusarium graminearum and Verticillium dahliae5 November 2021 | Nature Communications, Vol. 12, No. 1Trichoderma spp. isolates from the rhizosphere of healthy olive trees in northern Algeria and their biocontrol potentials against the olive wilt pathogen, Verticillium dahliae28 October 2021 | Organic Agriculture, Vol. 11, No. 4Discriminating Xylella fastidiosa from Verticillium dahliae infections in olive trees using thermal- and hyperspectral-based plant traitsISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Vol. 179Antifungal Activity of Propyl-Propane-Thiosulfinate (PTS) 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Lawrence, Mohamed T. Nouri, and Florent P. Trouillas30 August 2021 | Plant Disease, Vol. 105, No. 8Wild Olive Genotypes as a Valuable Source of Resistance to Defoliating Verticillium dahliae1 July 2021 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 12Verticillium Wilt Evaluation of Olive Breeding Selections Under Semi-Controlled ConditionsA. Serrano, D. Rodríguez-Jurado, B. Román, J. Bejarano-Alcázar, R. De la Rosa, and L. León4 May 2021 | Plant Disease, Vol. 105, No. 6Metabolomic, Ionomic and Microbial Characterization of Olive Xylem Sap Reveals Differences According to Plant Age and Genotype10 June 2021 | Agronomy, Vol. 11, No. 6Plant Biostimulants: New Insights Into the Biological Control of Verticillium Wilt of Olive20 May 2021 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 12Progress in grafting watermelon to manage Verticillium wilt3 February 2021 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 70, No. 4Gene Expression of Putative Pathogenicity-Related Genes in Verticillium dahliae in Response to Elicitation with Potato Extracts and during Infection Using Quantitative Real-Time PCR23 April 2021 | Pathogens, Vol. 10, No. 5Evaluation of Established Methods for DNA Extraction and Primer Pairs Targeting 16S rRNA Gene for Bacterial Microbiota Profiling of Olive Xylem Sap12 March 2021 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 12Verticillium dahliae Inoculation and in vitro Propagation Modify the Xylem Microbiome and Disease Reaction to Verticillium Wilt in a Wild Olive Genotype3 March 2021 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 12Genetic Differentiation of Verticillium dahliae Populations Recovered from Symptomatic and Asymptomatic HostsLaura S. 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Sw. to Verticillium dahliae Kleb.24 May 2019 | Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 101, No. 4Genetic variations of prevailing Verticillium dahliae isolates from cotton in China6 February 2019 | Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 101, No. 3Transcriptomic Analysis of Trichoderma atroviride Overgrowing Plant-Wilting Verticillium dahliae Reveals the Role of a New M14 Metallocarboxypeptidase CPA1 in Biocontrol27 May 2019 | Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 10Evaluation of thiophanate-methyl in controlling Verticillium wilt of potato and artichokeCrop Protection, Vol. 119Biological Control Agents Against Fusarium Wilt of Banana5 April 2019 | Frontiers in Microbiology, Vol. 10Genetic Diversity of Verticillium dahliae Populations From Olive and Potato in LebanonFarah Baroudy, Alexander I. Putman, Wassim Habib, Krishna D. Puri, Krishna V. Subbarao, and Franco Nigro28 February 2019 | Plant Disease, Vol. 103, No. 4Differential susceptibility responses of Greek olive cultivars to Fomitiporia mediterranea30 October 2018 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 153, No. 4Population genomics demystifies the defoliation phenotype in the plant pathogen Verticillium dahliae25 February 2019 | New Phytologist, Vol. 222, No. 2Insights Into the Effect of Verticillium dahliae Defoliating-Pathotype Infection on the Content of Phenolic and Volatile Compounds Related to the Sensory Properties of Virgin Olive Oil5 March 2019 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 10Early stage effects of Verticillium wilt of olive (WVO) on nutrient use in young olive trees grown in soils amended with compost and mineral fertilisation3 January 2019 | Plant and Soil, Vol. 436, No. 1-2Use of RGB Vegetation Indexes in Assessing Early Effects of Verticillium Wilt of Olive in Asymptomatic Plants in High and Low Fertility Scenarios13 March 2019 | Remote Sensing, Vol. 11, No. 6Interactions between Trichoderma harzianum and defoliating Verticillium dahliae in resistant and susceptible wild olive clones4 June 2018 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 67, No. 8Long-Distance Spread of Verticillium dahliae Through Rivers and Irrigation SystemsFarah Baroudy, Wassim Habib, Ghassan Tanos, Elvis Gerges, Carine Saab, Elia Choueiri, and Franco Nigro28 May 2018 | Plant Disease, Vol. 102, No. 8Suppressive and preventive activity of chemical disinfectants against sclerotia of Verticillium dahliae in waterCrop Protection, Vol. 108Usage of the Heterologous Expression of the Antimicrobial Gene afp From Aspergillus giganteus for Increasing Fungal Resistance in Olive23 May 2018 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 9Morphophysiological response of young olive trees to verticillium wilt under different surface drip irrigation regimes18 December 2017 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 67, No. 4Evaluation of organic amendments from agro-industry waste for the control of verticillium wilt of olive20 December 2017 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 67, No. 4Potential efficacy of soil-applied disinfectant treatments against Verticillium wilt of oliveCrop Protection, Vol. 106Quality of olives: A focus on agricultural preharvest factorsScientia Horticulturae, Vol. 233A Phi-Class Glutathione S-Transferase Gene for Verticillium Wilt Resistance in Gossypium arboreum Identified in a Genome-Wide Association Study20 November 2017 | Plant and Cell Physiology, Vol. 59, No. 2Strategies for Olive (Olea europaea L.) Breeding: Cultivated Genetic Resources and Crossbreeding19 July 2018Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae in woody plants with emphasis on olive and shade trees27 July 2017 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 150, No. 1Seaweed polysaccharides as bio-elicitors of natural defenses in olive trees against verticillium wilt of olive11 May 2018 | Journal of Plant Interactions, Vol. 13, No. 1Comparison of genotyping by sequencing and microsatellite markers for unravelling population structure in the clonal fungus Verticillium dahliae5 June 2017 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 67, No. 1Salicylic acid-related cotton (Gossypium arboreum) ribosomal protein GaRPL18 contributes to resistance to Verticillium dahliae3 March 2017 | BMC Plant Biology, Vol. 17, No. 1Critical Review on the Significance of Olive Phytochemicals in Plant Physiology and Human Health16 November 2017 | Molecules, Vol. 22, No. 11Evaluation of Greek grapevine cultivars for resistance to Phaeomoniella chlamydospora23 February 2017 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 149, No. 2Metarhizium brunneum and Beauveria bassiana release secondary metabolites with antagonistic activity against Verticillium dahliae and Phytophthora megasperma olive pathogensCrop Protection, Vol. 100Identifying Characteristics of Verticillium Wilt Suppressiveness in Olive Mill CompostsManuel Avilés and Celia Borrero1 August 2017 | Plant Disease, Vol. 101, No. 9Assessment of the effect of surface drip irrigation on Verticillium dahliae propagules differing in persistence in soil and on verticillium wilt of olive3 January 2017 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 66, No. 7Xylem Vessel Diameter Affects the Compartmentalization of the Vascular Pathogen Phaeomoniella chlamydospora in Grapevine21 August 2017 | Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol. 8Two Phytophthora species causing decline of wild olive ( Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris )4 December 2016 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 66, No. 6Variation of pathotypes and races and their correlations with clonal lineages in Verticillium dahliae26 September 2016 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 66, No. 4Reliable detection of unevenly distributed Verticillium dahliae in diseased olive trees29 December 2016 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 66, No. 4Soil inoculum density of Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium wilt of olive in Lebanon16 December 2016 | Annals of Applied Biology, Vol. 170, No. 2Screening water extracts and essential oils from Mediterranean plants against Verticillium dahliae in oliveCrop Protection, Vol. 92Differential fungal colonization and physiological defense responses of new olive cultivars infected by the necrotrophic fungus Verticillium dahliae20 September 2016 | Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, Vol. 38, No. 10Trichoderma asperellum is effective for biocontrol of Verticillium wilt in olive caused by the defoliating pathotype of Verticillium dahliaeCrop Protection, Vol. 88Characterization of resistance against the olive-defoliating Verticillium dahliae pathotype in selected clones of wild olive1 March 2016 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 65, No. 8The Effect of Short Irrigation Frequencies on the Development of Verticillium Wilt in the Susceptible Olive Cultivar ‘Picual’ under Field ConditionsM. Pérez-Rodríguez, N. Serrano, O. Arquero, F. Orgaz, J. Moral, and F. J. López-Escudero21 June 2016 | Plant Disease, Vol. 100, No. 9Clonal Expansion and Migration of a Highly Virulent, Defoliating Lineage of Verticillium dahliaeMichael G. Milgroom, María del Mar Jiménez-Gasco, Concepción Olivares-García, and Rafael M. Jiménez-Díaz23 June 2016 | Phytopathology®, Vol. 106, No. 9Sorting out the value of spectroscopic tools to assess the Colletotrichum acutatum impact in olive cultivars with different susceptibilities3 August 2016 | Journal of Chemometrics, Vol. 30, No. 9A synthetic antimicrobial peptide BTD-S expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana confers enhanced resistance to Verticillium dahliae30 April 2016 | Molecular Genetics and Genomics, Vol. 291, No. 4Enhanced production of microsclerotia in recalcitrant Verticillium dahliae isolates and its use for inoculation of olive plants19 July 2016 | Journal of Applied Microbiology, Vol. 121, No. 2Biological control of Verticillium wilt of olive by Paenibacillus alvei, strain K1658 April 2015 | BioControl, Vol. 61, No. 3Development and validation of a new real-time assay for the quantification of Verticillium dahliae in the soil: a comparison with conventional soil plating23 May 2016 | Mycological Progress, Vol. 15, No. 6Sanitation of olive plants infected by Verticillium dahliae using heat treatments14 July 2015 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 65, No. 3Constitutive expression of a novel antimicrobial protein, Hcm1, confers resistance to both Verticillium and Fusarium wilts in cotton9 February 2016 | Scientific Reports, Vol. 6, No. 1Infection by Meloidogyne javanica does not breakdown resistance to the defoliating pathotype of Verticillium dahliae in selected clones of wild oliveScientia Horticulturae, Vol. 199Root-Infecting Fungi Attacking Theobroma cacao23 February 2016Evaluation of chemical disinfestants in reducing Verticillium dahliae conidia in irrigation waterCrop Protection, Vol. 79Water Consumption and Vegetative Growth Progress in Resistant and Susceptible Olive Cultivars Infected by Verticillium dahliaeAgricultural Sciences, Vol. 07, No. 04Evaluation of Verticillium wilt resistance in selections from olive breeding crosses12 May 2015 | Euphytica, Vol. 206, No. 3Perturbations in the Primary Metabolism of Tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana Plants Infected with the Soil-Borne Fungus Verticillium dahliae18 September 2015 | PLOS ONE, Vol. 10, No. 9Pre-breeding for resistance to Verticillium wilt in olive: Fishing in the wild relative gene poolCrop Protection, Vol. 75Genetic structure of Verticillium dahliae isolates infecting olive trees in Tunisia using AFLP, pathogenicity and PCR markers8 January 2015 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 64, No. 4Variability and selection of verticillium wilt resistant genotypes in cultivated olive and in the Olea genus11 January 2015 | Plant Pathology, Vol. 64, No. 4Symptomless Host and Nonhost Responses of Paulownia (Paulownia spp.) to Olive-Defoliating Verticillium dahliaeDaniel Jiménez-Fernández, Concepción Olivares-García, José L. Trapero-Casas, Jaime Requena, Jesús Moreno, and Rafael M. Jiménez-Díaz15 May 2015 | Plant Disease, Vol. 99, No. 7Genetic relationships between virulence, vegetative compatibility and ISSR marker of Verticillium dahliae isolated from cotton30 September 2015 | Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection, Vol. 48, No. 8Early Detection and Quantification of Verticillium Wilt in Olive Using Hyperspectral and Thermal Imagery over Large Areas4 May 2015 | Remote Sensing, Vol. 7, No. 5Phaeoacremonium species associated with olive wilt and decline in southern Italy20 December 2014 | European Journal of Plant Pathology, Vol. 141, No. 4Resistance to Verticillium wilt in olive progenies from open-pollinationScientia Horticulturae, Vol. 185Scientific opinion on the pest categorisation of Verticillium dahliae KlebEFSA Journal, Vol. 12, No. 12Soil Temperature Determines the Reaction of Olive Cultivars to Verticillium dahliae Pathotypes17 October 2014 | PLoS ONE, Vol. 9, No. 10Recombination between Clonal Lineages of the Asexual Fungus Verticillium dahliae Detected by Genotyping by Sequencing2 September 2014 | PLoS ONE, Vol. 9, No. 9Natural recovery from Verticillium wilt in olive: can it be exploited in a control strategy?23 April 2014 | Plant and Soil, Vol. 381, No. 1-2Complex Molecular Relationship Between Vegetative Compatibility Groups (VCGs) in Verticillium dahliae: VCGs Do Not Always Align with Clonal LineagesMaría del Mar Jiménez-Gasco, Glenna M. Malcolm, Mónica Berbegal, Josep Armengol, and Rafael M. Jiménez-Díaz13 May 2014 | Phytopathology®, Vol. 104, No. 6Verticillium Systematics and Evolution: How Confusion Impedes Verticillium Wilt Management and How to Resolve ItPatrik Inderbitzin and Krishna V. Subbarao13 May 2014 | Phytopathology®, Vol. 104, No. 6High-Density Olive Plantations9 May 2014Evaluation of resistance of Spanish olive cultivars to Verticillium dahliae in inoculations conducted in greenhouse2 October 2013 | Phytoparasitica, Vol. 42, No. 2Assessment of entomopathogenic fungi and their extracts against a soil-dwelling pest and soil-borne pathogens of oliveBiological Control, Vol. 67, No. 3High-resolution airborne hyperspectral and thermal imagery for early detection of Verticillium wilt of olive using fluorescence, temperature and narrow-band spectral indicesRemote Sensing of Environment, Vol. 139A Comparison of Real-Time PCR Protocols for the Quantitative Monitoring of Asymptomatic Olive Infections by Verticillium dahliae PathotypesD. Gramaje, V. Pérez-Serrano, M. Montes-Borrego, J. A. Navas-Cortés, R. M. Jiménez-Díaz, and B. B. Landa10 September 2013 | Phytopathology®, Vol. 103, No. 10Effective inoculation methods to screen for resistance to Verticillium wilt in oliveScientia Horticulturae, Vol. 162Hidden Host Plant Associations of Soilborne Fungal Pathogens: An Ecological PerspectiveGlenna M. Malcolm, Gretchen A. Kuldau, Beth K. Gugino, and María del Mar Jiménez-Gasco15 May 2013 | Phytopathology®, Vol. 103, No. 6Biocontrol of Tree Root Diseases18 March 2013Differential Expression of Potato Defence Genes Associated with the Salicylic Acid Defence Signalling Pathway in Response to Weakly and Highly Aggressive Isolates of Verticillium dahliae12 November 2012 | Journal of Phytopathology, Vol. 161, No. 3Olive Twig and Branch Dieback: Etiology, Incidence, and Distribution in CaliforniaJ. R. Úrbez-Torres, F. Peduto, P. M. Vossen, W. H. Krueger, and W. D. Gubler7 January 2013 | Plant Disease, Vol. 97, No. 2

Fungi that belong to the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium pose serious phytopathological and mycotoxicological risks at pre-harvest and post-harvest stages, as well as in processed food products because they can produce several mycotoxins. Mycotoxins pose a serious problem for animal and human health and have a significant economic impact worldwide. The Mediterranean basin is a large geographical region with a temperate climate supporting the cultivation of a wealth of field and greenhouse crops with a high risk of mycotoxin contamination. The most important mycotoxins that occur in the Mediterranean basin are aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) in dried fruits and nuts, ochratoxin A in grapes and raisins as well as trichothecenes and fumonisins in cereals. A variety of chemical, biological and physical strategies have been developed to control the mycotoxigenic pathogens; to minimize mycotoxin production at pre- or post-harvest level; to contribute to decontamination and/or detoxification of mycotoxins from contaminated foods and feeds; or to inhibit mycotoxin absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Biological control using microbial antagonists either alone or as part of an integrated control strategy to reduce pesticide inputs, has emerged as a promising approach for control of mycotoxins in crops, both pre- and post-harvest. Several organisms including atoxigenic Aspergilli, yeasts, bacteria and fungi have been tested for their ability to reduce both fungal infection and mycotoxin contamination. For instance, atoxigenic fungal strains are being used widely to prevent pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination of crops such as peanuts, pistachios, maize, and cottonseed in several parts of the world including the Mediterranean area. Recent advancements in the use of biocontrol strategies have led to registration of commercial products with increased practical applications for the benefit of growers in several countries.

An updated short account is given of the nature and practice of biological control. It includes data on key mechanisms of biocontrol agents (bca's) being studied, relationships between bca's and plants being investigated and commercialization prospects in modern world agriculture. Based on the voluminous literature on biological control research and application, successful cases are selected and directions that might lead to the development of more effective bca's against plant diseases are discussed. The broad adoptions of organic farming as an additional agricultural practice to conventional agriculture and IPM have both increased research and application of bca's already commercially available. However, extensive applications require further developments and greater understanding of the complex interactions among plants, bca's and the environment. Additionally fast and more efficient procedures compared to fungicide registration approaches will facilitate bca's commercial application.

Verticillium wilt is the most serious olive disease worldwide. The olive-infecting Verticillium dahliae pathotypes have been classified as defoliating (D) and nondefoliating (ND), and the disease is mainly controlled in olive orchards by using resistant or tolerant cultivars. Limited information is available about the nature of resistance in most of the olive cultivars. In the present study, the phenolic responses of the susceptible to V. dahliae olive cv. Amfissis and the resistant cv. Koroneiki upon D and ND V. dahliae infection were monitored in relation to the fungal DNA levels in the vascular tissues with the purpose to explore the defense mechanisms of olive trees against V. dahliae. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that the decrease in symptom severity shown in Koroneiki trees was associated with significant reduction in the growth of both V. dahliae pathotypes in the vascular tissues compared with Amfissis. In Koroneiki trees, the levels of o-diphenols and verbascoside were positively associated with the DNA levels of the D and ND pathotypes. In addition, a positive association was observed between the levels of verbascoside and the fungal DNA level in Amfissis trees, whereas a negative association was revealed between the fungal DNA level and the total phenols and oleuropein content in both cultivars. The levels of verbascoside were clearly higher in Koroneiki trees compared with Amfissis trees, indicating for the first time in the literature the involvement of verbascoside in the defense mechanism of olive trees against V. dahliae.

Verticillium wilt is the most serious olive disease in the Mediterranean countries and worldwide. The most effective control strategy is the use of resistant cultivars. However, limited information is available about the level and source of resistance in most of the olive cultivars and there are no published data using microsclerotia, the resting structures of Verticillium dahliae, as the infective inoculum. In the present study, we correlated symptomatology and the presence of the fungus along with the DNA relative amount (molecules μl−1) of a defoliating (D) and a non-defoliating (ND) V. dahliae strain in the susceptible cv. Amfissis and the tolerant cvs Kalamon and Koroneiki, as quantified by the Real-Time QPCR technology. The viability of the pathogen in the plant tissues was confirmed by isolating the fungus on PDA plates, while symptom assessment proved the correlation between the DNA relative amount of V. dahliae in plant tissues and cultivar susceptibility. It was further demonstrated that the D and ND strains were present at a significantly higher level in cv. Amfissis than in cvs Kalamon and Koroneiki. It was finally observed that the relative amount of the pathogen in roots was lower than in stems and shoots and declined in plant tissues over time. These data constitute a valuable contribution in evaluating resistance of olive cultivars or olive root-stocks to V. dahliae pathotypes.

Phyllosphere yeasts were isolated from leaves of vine (Vitis vinifera L.) canes and evaluated in a detached berry assay for their ability to suppress Aspergillus carbonarius (Order: Eurotiales, Family: Trichocomaceae) growth. Seventeen of the 21 yeast isolates significantly reduced A. carbonarius growth, i.e. sour rot infection compared to untreated controls in laboratory tests. The most effective yeast isolate Aureobasidium pullulans (Order: Dothideales, Family: Dothioraceae), isolate Y-1, was field tested on two varieties of red grape, Grenache Rouge and Agiorgitiko located on the Island of Rhodes and in Corinthos County, Greece. It was demonstrated that A. pullulans Y-1 was as effective as the commercial fungicide fludioxonil+cyprodinil, in reducing sour rot infection, A. carbonarius presence on berries at harvest and ochratoxin A contamination in must.

Verticillium wilt is a devastating disease of a wide range of herbaceous and woody plant hosts, incited by the soilborne fungus Verticillium dahliae. In the present study, the effect of the potential biocontrol isolate Paenibacillus alvei, strain K165, on the germination of V. dahliae microsclerotia (msc) was investigated. Strain K165 was isolated from tomato root tips and its activity against V. dahliae has been shown in glasshouse and field experiments. In the present study, the application of K165 resulted in the reduction of msc germination of V. dahliae, in the root tips and the zone of elongation, of eggplants by 50% compared to the control treatment; whereas 10 and 12cm away from root tips and in soil without plants the percentage of msc germination was reduced by 26% and 40%, respectively. However, K165 did not significantly affect the number and length of hyphae per germinated msc. In a split-root system, K165 triggered induced systemic resistance in eggplants against V. dahliae by reducing disease severity and msc germination by 27% and 20%, respectively. In addition, K165 colonised the rhizosphere of eggplants and soil in a population density of 5 and 3log10cfug−1, 7dpi, respectively. This is the first report of evaluating the direct/indirect effect of a rhizospheric bacterium on msc germination in the rhizosphere of eggplants, indicating that strain K165 reduces msc germination.

An innovative inoculation process, involving the drilling of a trunk hole in 3 year-old olive trees and injecting a dense conidial suspension of Verticillium dahliae, was developed to study differentiation in foliar symptom expression between olive cultivars tolerant or susceptible to the pathogen. It was demonstrated that V. dahliae conidia could be translocated and colonize the xylem at the same distance above and below the point of trunk injection in both cultivars. However, the pathogen could be subsequently isolated at statistically significant percentages in susceptible cv. Amphissis compared to the tolerant cv. Kalamon, indicating operation of resistance mechanisms in the vascular phase of the disease. Consequently symptom development in the susceptible cultivar was at least sixfold more intensive compared to the tolerant cultivar, 6–11 months after trunk inoculation. Perennial olive orchard experiments, aimed at selecting Verticillium-resistant root-stocks, were conducted by applying the novel method in 2–3 year-old root-stock suckers of Amphissis olive trees and in the tolerant cvs Lianolia of Corfu and Koroneiki. It was indicated that potentially resistant root-stocks could be obtained following the trunk drilling technique. Resistance differentiation between cvs Amphissis and Kalamon was further verified through root inoculation by various V. dahliae microsclerotial concentrations and demonstrated that the trunk drilling inoculation procedure is equally efficient in resistance evaluation of olives to Verticillium wilt. The trunk inoculation procedure could be useful in selecting and screening root-stocks for resistance to V. dahliae and other vascular pathogens and could elucidate resistance mechanisms in woody plants against vascular wilt diseases.

Vineyard surveys of 11 wine producing grape cultivars, were carried out in sixteen vineyards, in five winemaking regions in Greece, during 2002 and 2003. The occurrence of various Aspergillus spp. in bunches of berries at setting, veraison and ripening at harvest time was investigated. Aspergillus niger aggregate and A. carbonarius were predominantly isolated from sampled berries. Although the prevailing Aspergillus spp. isolates belonged to A. niger aggregate, isolates of A. carbonarius were the most efficient ochratoxin A (OTA) producers. Of 50 tested isolates of A. carbonarius 42% produced amounts of OTA, exceeding 25 ppb, while none of the 85 isolates of A. niger aggregate tested produced above 16 ppb.

Phyllosphere yeasts antagonistic to the infective activity of Botrytis cinerea were isolated from leaves of greenhouse-grown tomatoes and evaluated in a detached leaf assay for their ability to suppress grey mould. Nine of 30 recovered yeast isolates were found to reduce a disease index by >90% when compared to an untreated control. In greenhouse experiments, the yeast isolate Rhodotorula glutinis Y-44 was the most efficient in controlling grey mould of tomato plants. In further experiments in greenhouse-grown tomato plants the effectiveness of R. glutinis Y-44 was compared with two commercial fungicides. It was demonstrated that R. glutinis Y-44 was as effective as fungicides in controlling the pathogen. Moreover, the population of R. glutinis Y-44 was monitored for 8 weeks after application on tomato plants. The isolate successfully colonized the plant surface, although the population decreased by 10-fold 8 weeks after application. Since B. cinerea is also a major post-harvest pathogen for tomato fruits, the ability of R.␣glutinis Y-44, to protect artificially infected wounded tomato fruits was also tested. It was shown that R.␣glutinis Y-44 was able to reduce by 50% the percentage of infected wounds compared to the untreated controls.