Samir Mahfoud^*(1) and Ghazela Louafi ⁽¹⁾

(1). Plant Protection Department. Centre of Homs. General commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (GCSAR)- Homs-Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Samir Mahfoud. E-Mail mahfoods69@Gmail.com).

Received: 3/12/2019                                  Accepted: 14/04/2020

Abstract

Vine cultivation is one of the main crops in Syria, especially in Homs region, and due to the spread of diseases threating it; this research aimed to isolation and identification the fungal pathogens associated with grapevine decline,  dieback and death. The field survey was conducted during the period between 2010 and 2014 on 13 orchards distributed in 6 areas in Homs province (Almoukhtaria, Zaidal, Fairouza, Aljaberia, Alrrastan and the fields of Homs Agricultural Research Center), The symptoms and the time of their occurrence were recorded and samples of the trunks and mature cans of the plants showed that symptoms were taken and saved with its data in cold conditions and sent to be saved on the refrigerators of the laboratory of plant pathology of the Agricultural Research Center in Homs until the identification tests. Results revealed that the occurrence of the superficial symptoms began in early June and continued until late October, with two types of symptoms have been distinguished: first type was slow to be observed and characterized by stripe spots between the leaf veins, and second type was severe distinguished by sudden partially or whole plant dusting or death some shoots. The isolation and microscopic tests for pycnidia found on some cane`s surface or on the surface of some fungal colonies cultured in PDA and their microscopic and morphological studying revealed the existence of Botryosphaeria obtusa (Diplodia seriata ) in 62.8% of samples which have been surveyed. In  our knowledge this is the first report confirms the existence of the black dead arm disease on grape vine in Syria

Key words: Grapevine, Black arm, Pathogenicity, Syria.

Full paper in Arabic: PDF