Fungi associated with Esca disease of grapevine in Germany

Esca disease of grapevine is gaining increasing importance in Central European wine-growing countries. Several fungi, all of which are wood-inhabiting, were found to be associated with the disease. The taxa thought to act as main causal agents are the basidiomycete, Fomitiporia mediterranea, and, less frequently, the deuteromycetes, Phaeomoniella chlamydospora and Phaeoacremonium aleophilum. In addition, the species Eutypa lata, Phomopsis viticola, Botryosphaeria obtusa, and Cylindrocarpon destructans were isolated from Esca-affected vines. These species have been described in a standardized style and information is provided on taxonomy, cultured mycelium, microscopical characters, nuclear behaviour, as well as restriction and sequence data of ribosomal DNA.