Host Jumps and Pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae Species on Grapevines (

Summary: Grape growers in Chile face a creeping threat from a fungal disease known as Botryosphaeria dieback, which rots grapevines from the inside out. But is this disease coming from the neighbors? Researchers are investigating whether fungi living on nearby apple, blueberry, and walnut trees can "jump" hosts to infect vineyards. By deliberately exposing different grape varieties—like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—to fungi collected from these other fruit crops, scientists aim to determine if mixed-crop agriculture is inadvertently fueling this vineyard killer.