Excoriose, Cane Blight and Related Diseases of Grapevines : A Taxonomic Review of the Pathogens

The disease of grapevines known as excoriose has been the source of a certain amount of controversy.Much of this concerns the identity of the causal agent and this has been further confounded by the taxonomic problemsof the fungal pathogens associated with this disease. Many of these problems have now been resolved and it isclear that excoriose is caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea while cane blight and leaf spot is caused by Phomopsisviticola. However, although at least five different species of Phomopsis are currently known to be associated withgrapevines, only P. viticola causes cane blight and leaf spot. The role played by the other species of fungi is not clear,but they may be weak pathogens, saprophytes or endophytes.