Management of Grapevine Fungal Diseases by using Antagonistic Endophytes - An Environment Friendly Approach

Abstract

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is one of the major crops grown commercially throughout the world. In recent years there are major losses to the grapevine production due the challenges caused mainly due to fungal diseases like downy mildew, powdery mildew, grey mould, black rot, and anthracnose. In the last few decades, rampant chemical fertilization and bio-magnification of hazardous chemicals has posed a threat to human health and destroyed the health of the soil as well as crop. For effective management of these fungal diseases of grapes, now a days many researchers are conducting various studies on endophytes which are proved to be a better bio-control agents to suppress the growth and development of grapevine phytopathogens. Endophytes are eco-friendly, effective, easy to apply at field levels by making endophyte-based formulations of it, suppresses the growth and development of grapevine pathogens without causing any detrimental effects to the beneficial micro-organisms present at rhizospheric zone of soil and host plants as compared to the traditional fungicides usage. It also competes with these pathogens for nutrition, space, and colonization. It helps in production of secondary metabolites with antifungal properties for preventing the growth of fungal pathogens that cause damage to the grapevine crop. It also induces defence mechanism in grapevine crop against disease causing fungal phytopathogens. In this review article, biocontrol mechanisms of endophytes and their potential application in management of grapevine fungal diseases have been discussed.