Detection and incidence of FD and BN phytoplasmas in vineyards of different grapevine cultivars in Serbia

Presence and diffusion of grapevine yellows (GY) phytoplasmas was investigated from 2003 to 2005 in seventeen vineyards located in five of the most important viticultural regions of Serbia. From the same vineyards, symptomatic grapevine samples representing ten most important cultivars in those regions were collected (2003-2006) for molecular analyses. Both "flavescence doree" (FD) and "bois noir" (BN) phytoplasmas were confirmed to be associated with grapevine yellows in Serbia. Field inspections showed as GY epidemics have been spreading very fast in the monitored vineyards, especially in those vineyards in which only the presence of FD phytoplasma was detected. The highest incidences of FD phytoplasma were found in vineyards of Plovdina, a local variety that appeared to be extremely sensitive to FD.