Pathogenicity of New Zealand grapevine isolate of Neofusicoccum macroclavatum on Eucalyptus globulus

Neofusicoccum macroclavatum, a recognised pathogen of Eucalyptus globulus in Western Australia, was recently isolated for the first time from grapevines in New Zealand. Its identity was confirmed by analysis of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), ?-tubulin gene and elongation factor ?1 sequence analyses. Previous pathogenicity studies of nursery isolates showed that this isolate (M353) was pathogenic to Sauvignon blanc 1-year-old rooted canes and green shoots similar to other Botryosphaeriaceae pathogens of grapevines. To further investigate its pathogenicity on eucalypts, M353 was inoculated onto 1-year-old seedlings of E. globulus and shown to produce external stem lesions with a mean length of 29 mm that was significantly longer (P<0.001) than those caused by N. australe (17 mm), another common Botryosphaeriaceae pathogen of Eucalyptus in Australia. This research demonstrates that the N. macroclavatum isolated from grapevine is pathogenic to eucalypts.