Protection methods

The browning of the stalk associated with the development of Aureobasidium pullulans is a curiosity which does not require the implementation of special protection methods. With regard to a stalk problem, it is useful to recall the measures which make it possible to control gray rot caused by Botrytis cinerea , and in particular:

• Improve the ventilation of the vegetation as much as possible in order to reduce its humidity (trellising well, removing leaves, thinning the bunches, controlling vigor).
• Avoid conditions of persistent humidity on the canopy and bunches around and during the harvest period.
• Harvest early if possible, before the berries are overripe.
• Control the development of other pests in the cluster (phytophagous insects that produce honeydew - scale insects, pruinose leafhoppers; bunch worms; powdery mildew, etc.); they can cause damage to berries and thus promote parasitism by rotting agents

It should be noted that certain strains of A pullulans have revealed antagonistic potentials with regard to various pathogenic fungi of plants, such as, for example, Penicillium digitatum , Botrytis cinerea , Rhizopus stolonifer on bunches of grapes.