Phytotoxic metabolites produced by Diaporthe eres involved in cane blight of grapevine in Italy

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) are one of the most serious biotic stresses affecting this important crop. Among them a range of diseases were identified and associated to a plethora of phytopathogenic fungi, including species of Diaporthe. Diaporthe eres was recently identified as one of the species involved in cane blight of grapevine. The ability of a strain of this fungus isolated from infected grapevine plant in Italy to produce in vitro phytotoxic metabolites was investigated. Five phytotoxic metabolites were identified by their physical and spectroscopic properties as 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, nectriapyrone, p-cresol and tyrosol. When tested on grapevine leaf disks and by leaf absorption, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid induced symptoms on both disks and leaves, 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and p-cresol showed, respectively, phytotoxicity on leaf disks and on the leaf absorption bioassay.