LAUSR

Abstract Diatrypaceae species collected from 33 woody hosts occurring near vineyards were characterised. Plants showed symptoms of dieback, necrosis and cankers. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS-rDNA and the β-tubulin gene separated the 265 isolates obtained into 14 species. The five most frequently encountered species, Cryptovalsa ampelina, Eutypa cremea, Eutypa lata, Eutypella citricola and Eutypella microtheca, were also found on grapevine in a previous study in South Africa. Several plant species, therefore, serve as hosts for these pathogens. First reports in South Africa include Cryptosphaeria ligniota, Eutypella leprosa and Eutypella australiensis. Host ranges of Cryptosphaeria multicontinentalis, Eu. australiensis and Eu. microtheca were also expanded. Diatrypaceae species caused brown discolouration when inoculated onto wounded grapevine tissues, which suggests that cross-infections are possible between grapevine and other woody hosts. Campelina., Eu. microtheca and Eu. citricola were the most virulent species and their virulence was comparable to that of Eu. lata, a known pathogen causing Eutypa dieback.