There are a couple of trunk disease educational opportunities that are available. One is a free short course recently developed by Dr. Kendra Baumgartner; the information, though developed in California is very pertinent to Georgia as well. Our primary pruning wound, cordon, and trunk pathogens are those caused by Botryosphaeria and Phomopsis species, in case you are wondering when you go through this online training. I have never personally confirmed Eutypa. However, we have had limited Esca, Petri disease or “black goo” on stressed vines. The link to this training is below:
https://vineyardteam.thinkific.com/courses/vine-trunk-diseases
Another discussion of trunk disease management is found in a feature story in The Crush. This link is also provided:.
https://www.nxtbook.com/cawg/cawg/Jan2021/index.php
Pruning wounds are the source of these infections. I am sure you have been pruning, and you are still probably doing so. These resources are both timely.
Phil Brannen
Phil Brannen is a Professor in the Plant Pathology Department at the University of Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia for his undergraduate degree in Plant Protection and Pest Management, where he also received an M.S. in Plant Pathology, followed by a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from Auburn University. He has extensive experience with disease management programs in numerous cropping systems. He serves as the extension fruit pathologist for Georgia – conducting research and technology transfer for multiple fruit commodities. His efforts are directed towards developing IPM practices to solve disease issues and technology transfer of disease-management methods to commercial fruit producers. He also teaches the graduate level Field Pathology Course, the History of Plant Diseases and their Impact on Human Societies Course, team-teaches the IPM Course, coordinates the Viticulture and Enology in the Mediterranean Region Course (Cortona, Italy), and guest lectures in numerous other courses throughout the year.
