The fungal endophyte community in grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.)

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs), caused by a complex of fungi, limit both vineyard productivity and longevity. However, the factors that affect latency of these pathogens in the grapevine trunks is still poorly understood including the interaction between different grapevine fungal endophytes. This study aimed to compare the fungal endophyte community in young and mature Sauvignon blanc vines, both symptomatic and asymptomatic for GTD, using culture-dependent and high-resolution culture-independent approaches. Samples were taken from nine vineyards in the Marlborough region. The samples encompassed 60 mature vines (>10 years old) and 30 young vines (