Justification of the study
In kiwifruit vines, the Ceratocystis fimbriata infection generally initiates through the roots, but pruning wounds can also serve as an entry point for the pathogen. For this reason, disinfestation of pruning tools and equipment becomes important, since the pathogen can spread from diseased to healthy plants through infested pruning tools. Additionally, protection of fresh pruning wounds with the application of fungicides or other protective barriers, can potentially be an effective control strategy against C. fimbriata if incorporated into integrated disease management. However, chemical control of C. fimbriata on kiwifruit vines remains poorly studied, and no fungicides have been registered for this pathosystem yet.
Objectives of the study
In vitro: To evaluate the effectiveness of fungicides against mycelial growth of C. fimbriata isolates from kiwifruit plants;
In vivo: To determine the efficacy of the most effective fungicides identified in the in vitro assays as pruning wound protectors against Ceratocystis wilt on kiwifruit cultivars.