Climate change and shifts in etiology of anthracnose disease of grapevines in India

An analysis of the temperature trends of two geographically and climatologically distinct grape growing locations of India viz. Solapur and Ludhiana, shows that there is a perceptible increase in temperature, especially the minimum (Tmin) temperatures. This increase may have created conditions favourable for C. gloeosporioides, which can grow at comparatively higher temperatures, to replace E. ampelina as the dominant pathogen of anthracnose. Regression analysis of weather and disease data also indicated that Tmin was significantly contributing to disease development. Further the number of occasions on which the temperature remained above 350C showed increasing trend at both Ludhiana and Solapur which could have affected survival of E. ampelina during non-active summer season.