© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Abstracts - 16th Hellenic Phytopathological Congress
21
was identified based on ITS-5.8S rDNA-ITS2
region and Elongation Factor 1-alpha by the
CBS Fungal Biodiversity Centre, Identifica-
tion Service (Utrecht, Netherlands) as
Dia-
porthe neotheicola
A.J.L. Phillips & J.M. San-
tos.
Koch’s postulates were fulfilled by the artifi-
cial inoculation of 20 segments of 1-year-old
woody shoots of the kiwifruit cultivar “Hay-
ward”, and 20 fruits. Shoots and fruits inocu-
lated with agar discs without myceliumwere
used as control. Identical disease symptoms
were observed in the inoculated shoots. The
pathogen was reisolated from the artificially
inoculated shoots and fruits.
In laboratory experiments, the rate of my-
celial growth of
D. neotheicola in vitro
was
reduced as the temperature was increased
from 25 to 30°C, and also when decreased
from 20 to 10°C. Growth was totally inhibit-
ed at 35 and 2-4°C.
This study is the first report of the occur-
rence of a shoot blight and canker disease
of kiwifruit in Greece caused by the fungus
D. neotheicola.
Metabolomic analysis of
Verticillium dahliae
races 1 and 2
V. K
OUROUSIAS
1
, C. K
ALLONIATI
2
, S.E. T
JAMOS
1
, E. F
LEMETAKIS
2
and E.J. P
APLOMATAS
1
1
Laboratory of Plant Pathology,
2
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Agricultural
University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-118 55 Athens, Greece
The technological advancements in analyti-
cal chemistry and computing of the last de-
cade have facilitated study of the metabo-
lomic profile of plants and microorganisms
under different treatments. The aim of the
present study was to investigate the metab-
olomic profile of
Verticillium dahliae
races 1
and 2 grown in two different growth media
that simulate either xylem or microsclero-
tia germination conditions. It was observed
that the race 2 secreted a higher (by 84%)
number of metabolites than race 1 in both
media. Furthermore, the number of the se-
creted metabolites of race 1 and 2 that were
common in both media was 20% and 37%,
respectively. Among the different metabo-
lites that were identified, were substances
with established roles, either as elicitors or
effectors, in plant-microbe interactions.
Pathogen identification and incidence of pre- and post-harvest fruit rots
of pomegranate in Greece
S.C. K
ONSTANTINOU
and G.S. K
ARAOGLANIDIS
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of
Agriculture, GR-541 24 Thessaloniki, Greece
In recent years, the cultivation of pomegran-
ate has increased considerably, particularly
in northern Greece. Fruit rots, along with
other physiological disorders contribute to
quantitative yield losses, qualitative dete-
rioration, and restriction of fruit storability.
The goal of the present study was to iden-
tify and measure the incidence of fungal
pathogens causing pre- and post-harvest
decay in pomegranate fruit. The sampling
of diseased fruit was conducted during 2011
(September to December) in a number of
orchards and storage rooms in several re-
gions of N. Greece. Fungal identification at
a genus level was based on colony appear-
ance and morphological features of fruiting
bodies and spores. In total 5 and 3 pre- and
post-harvest pathogens were identified, re-
spectively. It was found that
Aspergillus
spp.
(45.9%) and
Penicillium
spp. (40.0%) were the
main causal agents of pre-harvest fruit rots.
In contrast, post-harvest rots were caused
mainly by
Botrytis cinerea
(70.8%) and
Pili-
diella granati
(15.4%).
Aspergillus
spp. iso-
