Survival of Trichoderma atroviride SC1 on grapevine pruning wounds and efficacy against esca disease agents

Esca disease is causing damage in vineyards in several parts of the world. The disease is caused by three different fungi (Phaeomoniella chlamydospora, Phaeoacremonium aleophilum and Fomitiporia mediterranea), On the whole these pathogen affects the shoot of the trunk and the branches with chronic or acute evolution. At the moment the prevention of pruning wounds infection by following correct cultural practices remains the main way to manage the disease but the possibility of introducing microorganisms as biological control seems to represent an alternative or a complementary strategy. We studied the survival of Trichoderma atroviride SC1 on pruning wound vineyard (107 conidia/ml) applied during winter at two different stages (BBCH 00 and 01), and its efficacy to reduce the colonization of Pal and Pch of grapevine pruning wounds in potted plants. T. atroviride SC1 can survive in the wood for several months, but the percentage of colonised wounds decreases during time, probably because of the temperature rise in the vineyard. For this reason, 45 different ingredients (wetting agents, UV protectors, nutritional factors, etc.) were tested in the formulation of a semi-commercial product based on T. atroviride SC1 with the aim to improve its germination and persistence on pruning wounds. T. atroviride SC1 can successfully control wound infections of Pch and, at lower extent, of Pal.