Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, a new causal agent of citrus post-bloom fruit drop

Citrus post-bloom fruit drop (caused by Colletotrichum acutatum) frequently occurs in the southwestern region of São Paulo State, Brazil. A survey of Colletotrichum isolates associated with symptoms of post-bloom fruit drop in São Paulo State showed C. gloeosporioides in addition to C. acutatum. The objectives of this study were to confirm the identification of C. gloeosporioides isolated from symptomatic citrus flowers, to test the pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides isolates, to compare the development of disease caused by C. gloeosporioides and C. acutatum, and to determine the frequency of C. gloeosporioides in a sample of isolates obtained from symptomatic flowers in different regions of São Paulo State. Through the use of species-specific primers by PCR, 17.3% of 139 isolates were C. gloeosporioides, and the remaining 82.7% were C. acutatum. The pathogenicity tests, carried out in 3-year old potted plants of sweet oranges indicated that both species caused typical symptoms of the disease including blossom blight and persistent calyces. Incubation periods (3.5 and 3.9 days, respectively, for C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides) and fruit sets (6.7 and 8.5%, respectively for C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides) were similar for both species. The incidences of blossom blight and persistent calyces were higher on plants inoculated with C. acutatum than in those inoculated with C. gloeosporioides. Conidial germination was similar for both species under different temperatures and wetness periods. Under optimal conditions, appressorium formation and melanisation were higher for C. gloeosporioides than for C. acutatum. These results indicated that Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a new causal agent of post-bloom fruit drop.     

Honeybees can spread Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides among citrus plants

Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) is an important citrus disease that causes up to 100% yield losses during years in which conditions are favourable for the occurrence of epidemics. The conidia of Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides, causal agents of PFD, are predominantly dispersed by rain splash. At the beginning of epidemics, the distribution of diseased plants is random and the disease progress rate is very high, which is unusual for pathogens spread by rain splash. As the pathogen produces abundant conidia on diseased petals, pollinating insects may contribute to disease dispersal. This study investigated honeybees (Apis mellifera) as dispersal agents of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides among citrus plants. Two experiments were carried out in a screenhouse in which citrus plants were protected (or not) in insect‐proof cages. The source of inoculum was placed on one side of the screenhouse, and a honeybee hive was placed on the opposite side. All uncaged plants showed symptoms of the disease, and none of the caged plants exhibited PFD symptoms. The monomolecular model showed a good fit to disease progress in both experiments. Conidium‐like structures of Colletotrichum spp. were identified attached to the bodies of the honeybees by scanning electron microscopy. These results have revealed that honeybees disperse Colletotrichum among citrus plants.     

First report of Colletotrichum queenslandicum causing leaf anthracnose on Dracaena cambodiana in China

In June 2021, a leaf spot was found on Dracaena cambodiana on Yongxing island of Sansha City, Hainan Province, China. The disease mainly occurred at the tips or edges of older leaves. About 50% of leaves were showed necrotic symptoms. Similar fungal isolates were obtained from all sterilized sections incubated on PDA. The fungus was identified as Colletotrichum queenslandicum by morphological characteristics and multi-locus phylogenetic analyses with ITS region of rDNA, GADPH, CHS-1, ACT, GS and TUB-2 gene sequences. This is the first report of Colletotrichum queenslandicum causing leaf anthracnose on Dracaena cambodiana.

     

Colletotrichum acutatum and Colletotrichum nymphaeae causing blossom blight and fruit anthracnose on olives in southern Brazil

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Olive (O. europaea L.) is an expanding crop in the south of Brazil. Blossom blight and typical anthracnose symptoms on fruit were observed in olive trees in an...     

芒果胶孢炭疽菌漆酶lac1与致病力的相关性分析

为了明确芒果炭疽病病菌(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)漆酶与该菌侵染相关致病因子之间的关系,本文以愈创木酚为底物筛选获得的高产漆酶菌株A2为材料,测定了漆酶粗提液对芒果炭疽病病菌致病力的影响,并通过半定量RT-PCR法,分析了在不同侵染时段漆酶基因lac1和其他酶基因的表达。结果表明,漆酶粗提液单独不能致病,但能促进该病原菌在寄主中的扩展;在侵染过程中,lac1表达与黑色素合成酶(thd和scd)基因表达相关性更高,与细胞壁降解酶(ecg和pel)基因表达也有一定相关性,但不及前者高。芒果胶孢炭疽菌分泌的漆酶有助于该菌在侵染芒果过程中的扩展,且对侵染相关致病因子黑色素合成酶和细胞壁降解酶基因的表达有一定影响。初步推测,漆酶lac1除了能通过降解芒果组织中的酚类物质、促进病原菌的扩展之外,也可以通过干扰与致病力相关的黑色素合成和细胞壁降解酶的产生来影响芒果胶孢炭疽菌致病力。     

Histopathology of postbloom fruit drop caused by Colletotrichum acutatum in citrus flowers

Postbloom fruit drop (PFD) is caused by both Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides and is a potentially serious disease in citrus that occurs when flowering coincides with rainfall. The fungus incites necrotic lesions in petals and stigmas leading to premature fruit drop and reduced yield. The mechanisms of infection and survival of the causal agents remain to be fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the histopathology of PFD caused by C. acutatum in the petals and stigmas of sweet oranges using electron and light microscopy. In the petals, pathogen penetration occurred intra and intercellularly and also through the stomata, with intercellular penetration occurring most frequently. The distinct tissues of the petals were colonised, including the vascular system, particularly the xylem. Acervuli were observed on both sides of the petals. Although the fungus did not penetrate through the epidermal cells of the stigma, C. acutatum caused necrosis and an increase of phenolics in this tissue. A protective layer rich in lipophilic and phenolic compounds was formed under the necrotic area and crystals of oxalate were associated with the sites where the pathogen was present.     

火把对柑桔炭疽病菌的室内毒力试验

采用菌丝生长速率法,用杀菌剂火把对柑桔炭疽病菌进行了室内毒力测定,测得火把对柑桔炭疽病的EC50值为0.8110μg/mL,EC98值为10.5435μg/mL,确定了其在室内有效抑菌浓度。本试验有利于指导进一步的室外药效试验以确定实际应用中的最佳施用浓度。     

First report of Pseudomonas oryzihabitans causing fruit black rot in prickly ash in China

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Since the summer of 2017, bacterial fruit black rot disease was observed on prickly ash (Zanthoxylum armatum DC., Yongqing No. 1) in three counties...     

First report of Rhizopus stolonifer causing inflorescence and fruit rot of Rauvolfia serpentina in India

Inflorescence and fruit rot caused by Rhizopus stolonifer has appeared for the first time on Rauvolfia serpentina (sarpgandha) in North Indian plains during July–September, 2003. Disease incidence was very high under high humidity and moderate temperature and posing threat to the commercial cultivation of the crop. The initial disease symptoms appear in the form of water-soaked lesions on the flowers and flower buds which later produce slimy wet rot symptoms leading to premature death and drying of infected parts including the leaves. Pathogenicity of R. stolonifer was established artificially under glasshouse conditions.     

Blackening on yam in response to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

A blackening confined to the cuticle and/or outer epidermal cell walls of mature leaves of Dioscorea alata was found to be associated with the appressoria of the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on plants subjected to high levels of inoculum in the field and to dense spore suspensions in controlled tests. The blackening occurred with little evidence of fungal penetration into the host cells. Preliminary analyses of the nature of the blackening detected melanin-like compounds and suggest the involvement of phenolic compounds and water-soluble chemicals, possibly enzymes, in the blackening process.     

First report of anthracnose on Spigelia anthelmia caused by Colletotrichum karstii and Colletotrichum siamense in Brazil

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - In Brazil, Spigelia anthelmia is an herbaceous weedy plant normally used for the treatment of helminths in humans and animals. Leaves and stems of S....     

Ulvan effect on conidial germination and appressoria formation of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Ulvan is an algal polysaccharide known for its ability to induce resistance to plant diseases such as the Glomerella leaf spot of apple caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes. This study was aimed at investigating microscopically, in tests in vitro and in vivo, whether ulvan interferes in the development of pre-infective structures of C. gloeosporioides. Conidial germination and appressoria formation were monitored hourly on agar and cellophane, and at 48 h on water- and ulvan-treated susceptible as well as resistant apple leaves. Amendment of agar with ulvan (10 mg ml^?1) enhanced the germination and resulted in longer germ tubes at 7 h of incubation. On cellophane it significantly delayed appressoria formation up to 8 h, but later after 14 h increased the number of appressoria per conidium. Spraying of susceptible leaves with ulvan 6 days before inoculation decreased disease severity by 50%. This was associated with inhibition of appressoria formation and stimulus in growth of germ tubes, without interfering with conidial germination, when compared with both water-treated control and resistant plants. Appressorium formation occurred preferentially on anticlinal walls of epidermal cells and its location was not influenced by host resistance or by ulvan treatment. This study suggests a new mode of action for ulvan interfering with appressorium formation that could protect apple plants against C. gloeosporioides infection.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of Colletotrichum spp. from citrus orchards affected by postbloom fruit drop in Brazil

Brazilian isolates of Colletotrichum spp. from citrus orchards affected by postbloom fruit drop were examined for colony colour, mycelial growth, benomyl-resistance, pathogenicity, and genetic variability by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. All isolates were obtained from flowers and persistent calyxes from different citrus hosts from Sao Paulo, Brazil. DNA polymorphisms detected after amplification with random 10-mer primers were used to classify the isolates into two groups. Group I isolates grew rapidly on potato-dextrose agar (PDA) and were sensitive to benomyl, and group II isolates grew slowly on PDA and were benomyl-resistant. Colletotrichum acutatum was analyzed by RAPD and had high genetic similarity with group II isolates of Colletotrichum from citrus. Probably, the group I is C. gloeosporioides and group II is C. acutatum.     

方山柿炭疽病重发原因浅析及防治对策探讨

方山柿是永康人民经历代选择后形成的地方传统名果,品质居浙江省柿类之首,有很强的区域性。近年,对方山柿主产区新楼和部分新区调查,炭疽病已遍及全市各柿园,并有逐年加重趋势,严重影响柿树正常生长和结果,尤其对幼树树冠的扩大及柿树产量、质量带来严重影响。经对其发生情况的调查与分析及综合治理,取得了较为显著的成效。1病原及症状该病由真菌半知菌亚门的胶孢炭疽菌[Colletotrichumgloeosporioides(Penz.)]侵染而致病。主要为害方山柿新梢、果实,也为害叶片,以新梢感病最早。新梢染病最初出现黑色小圆斑,后扩大成褐色椭圆形或不规则形,…