FA1303 - Sustainable control of grapevine trunk diseases

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTD) are the most destructive diseases of vineyards worldwide. Fungicides with the potential to control GTD have been banned and there are no highly effective treatments available. Developing sustainable alternatives to manage GTD is therefore required. A coordinated research approach in Europe is currently not existing, even though a strong demand for innovative disease management strategies is given. The goal of this Action would be to develop a network of European expertise to improve understanding of GTD by acquiring knowledge on occurrence of pathogens, vine-pathogen interaction, ecology of wood-inhabiting microorganisms, and to develop new management protocols and biocontrol approaches. This COST Action gathers leading multidisciplinary academic researchers and institutes within Europe to propose new recommendations for the management of GTD and establish Europe as a world leader in GTD research to safeguard vineyards. This knowledge will be promoted in an effort to increase knowledge and awareness of the problem by disseminating information to end-users and authorities in the viticulture sector, and to the general public.