Occurrence of Fusarium sp. and Lasiodiplodia sp. Causing Root Rot in Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) in Sri Lanka

Abstract

A decline of various grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) associated with root rot symptoms was observed during a field survey conducted from January to March 2024 in vineyards in the Jaffna district, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Despite the significance of identifying the causative agents for effective disease management, no prior reports exist on the pathogens responsible for grapevine root rot in Sri Lanka. In this study, based on morphological characterization, we identified Fusariumsp. and Lasiodiplodia sp. as potential causal agents of grapevine root rot. Koch’s postulates were confirmed by the successful re-isolation of both pathogens from healthy plants inoculated with the conidial suspensions under controlled conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of Fusarium sp. and Lasiodiplodia sp. causing grapevine root rot in Sri Lanka. This study highlights the need for species-level identification using molecular data and lays the foundation for future research aimed at developing sustainable disease management strategies.