Anthracnose of Nemesia strumosa Caused by Colletotrichum fuscum

Severe wilt with spots and/or leaf and stem blight were found on a scrophulariaceous flowering plant, Nemesia strumosa, grown in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, in February 1999. Wilted plants had numerous lesions and died early. A mitosporic fungus isolated repeatedly from the diseased plants was identified as Colletotrichum fuscum and was demonstrated to cause the disease. N. strumosa is a new host for C. fuscum, which has been known to attack foxglove (Digitalis spp.). The present disease was named “anthracnose of N. strumosa” as a new disease. Received 10 October 2000/ Accepted in revised form 11 January 2001     

Colletotrichum carthami comb. nov., an anthracnose pathogen of safflower, garland chrysanthemum and pot marigold, revived by molecular phylogeny with authentic herbarium specimens

Authentic herbarium specimens of Gloeosporium carthami and G. chrysanthemi as well as live Colletotrichum strains from Carthamus tinctorius, Chrysanthemum coronarium var. spatiosum, and Calendula officinalis were judged to be conspecific based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Representative strains from three asteraceous plants were demonstrated by inoculation tests to possess specific pathogenicity to the host plants. We propose a new combination, Colletotrichum carthami, for the anthracnose pathogen of the asteraceous plants, designating our specimen of G. carthami as its epitype. We characterize the species, which differs from the closely related Colletotrichum simmondsii in its pathogenicity and molecular characteristics.     

Anthracnose of salt-wort (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Salsola komarovii</Emphasis>) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum truncatum</Emphasis>

In July 2006, black rot was observed on the leaves of 4-leaf-stage seedlings of salt-wort (Salsola komarovii) in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. We isolated two single-conidial isolates from the diseased leaves. Although colony appearance of the isolates was different from that of each other, both isolates were identified as Colletotrichum truncatum by morphology and molecular similarity. After inoculation of healthy salt-wort plants with the isolates, the isolates were reisolated from symptomatic plants. We thus propose a new disease, anthracnose of salt-wort.     

Colletotrichum species associated with chili anthracnose in Australia

Phylogenetic relationships were determined for 45 Colletotrichum isolates causing anthracnose disease of chili in Queensland, Australia. Initial screening based on morphology, ITS and TUB2 genes resulted in a subset of 21 isolates being chosen for further taxonomic study. Isolates in the C. acutatum complex were analysed using partial sequences of six gene regions (ITS, GAPDH, ACT, CHS‐1, TUB2 and HIS3), and in the C. gloeosporioides complex were analysed using four gene regions (ITS, TUB2, ApMat and GS). Phylogenetic analysis delineated four Colletotrichum species including C. siamense, C. simmondsii, C. queenslandicum, C. truncatum and a new Colletotrichum species, described here as C. cairnsense sp. nov. This is the first reported association of C. queenslandicum, C. simmondsii and C. siamense with chili anthracnose in Australia; these species were previously associated with anthracnose on papaya and avocado. Furthermore, the dominant species causing anthracnose of chili in Southeast Asia, C. scovillei, was not detected in Australia. Inoculations on chili fruit confirmed the pathogenicity of C. cairnsense and the other four species in the development of chili anthracnose in Australia.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis> occurs asymptomatically on sweet cherry leaves

Leaves of sweet cherry, exposed to either paraquat or freezing to quickly senesce the leaf tissue, were incubated in about 100% RH at 25°C for 6 d. Sporulating colonies of Colletotrichum acutatum, the cause of anthracnose, developed on up to 100% of the paraquat-treated and frozen leaves, and on none of the untreated controls. Number of leaves and leaf area containing C. acutatum on naturally infected leaves increased over time from May to September. Mean incidence of C. acutatum on leaf blades on fruit spurs and vegetative shoots from eight orchard/year samplings were 41 and 33%, respectively. Secondary conidiation (formation of short hyphae and new conidia) from conidia applied to detached leaves took place 6 h after inoculation, but only up to 3% of the conidia formed new conidia. It may be concluded that asymptomatic sweet cherry leaves frequently host C. acutatum and may be a potential inoculum source for cherry fruit.     

四川省红叶石楠炭疽病病原菌鉴定及其潜在侵染源测定

为明确引起四川省红叶石楠炭疽病的病原菌及其潜在侵染源,采集疑似感染炭疽病的典型病叶进行分离获得纯化病原菌菌株,从中随机选取菌株HYSN3制成分生孢子悬浮液和菌饼,以无伤、刺伤、剪伤3种方式进行接种,筛选出效果最好的接种方式进行致病性测定,结合形态学特征与多基因序列分析将病原菌鉴定到种,并采用筛选出的接种方式将分离自其它19种寄主的23株炭疽菌接种到红叶石楠上,明确其潜在侵染源。结果表明,从红叶石楠病叶中共纯化得到14株菌株,基于形态特征和显微初步鉴定结果,从中选择8株代表菌株进行进一步鉴定。3种接种方式中,以刺伤后接种菌株HYSN3菌饼的效果最好,可用于致病性测定。基于形态学特征、致病性测定和多基因序列分析结果,将病原菌鉴定为胶孢炭疽菌Colletotrichum gloeosporioides(5株)、喀斯特炭疽菌C.karstii(1株)和暹罗炭疽菌C. siamense(2株),表明四川省红叶石楠炭疽病是由多种病原菌复合侵染引起的。来自其它寄主的23株炭疽菌菌株都能侵染红叶石楠,但致病力强弱不同,附近受炭疽菌侵染的植物都有可能成为红叶石楠炭疽病的潜在侵染源,园林植物养护过程中需予以一定的重视。     

Characterization of Colletotrichum truncatum from papaya,pepper and physic nut based on phylogeny,morphology and pathogenicity

Colletotrichum truncatum (syn. C. capsici) has been identified as the causal agent of anthracnose on various hosts, predominantly pepper (Capsicum spp.) plants. The aim of this study was to determine whether C. truncatum isolates infecting papaya, pepper and physic nut in southeastern Mexico are morphologically, genetically and pathogenically different, in order to improve disease management strategies. A total of 113 C. truncatum isolates collected from five producer states were subjected to phenotypic characterization and divided into six different morphological groups. These morphological traits and the location of the isolates were used to select a subset of 20 isolates for further studies. Differences in the pathogenicity of the isolates were tested with a cross‐inoculation assay using pepper, papaya and physic nut. The pathogenicity tests revealed that all isolates could infect the three hosts and produce typical anthracnose symptoms, indicating a lack of host specificity for this species and therefore its pathogenic potential on other plants. Phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) sequences of the C.   truncatum isolates from this study and reference strains was performed, grouping the isolates into a monophyletic clade. This study reports for the first time the characterization of C. truncatum causing anthracnose disease on three different hosts in Mexico.     

Characterization and epidemiology of Colletotrichum acutatum sensu lato (C. chrysanthemi) causing Carthamus tinctorius anthracnose

In 2012, Colletotrichum isolates were collected from field‐grown safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) crops in central Italy from plants exhibiting typical anthracnose symptoms. Colletotrichum isolates were also collected from seed surfaces and from within seeds. The genetic variability of these isolates was assessed by a multilocus sequencing approach and compared with those from Colletotrichum chrysanthemi and Colletotrichum carthami isolates from different geographic areas and other Colletotrichum acutatum sensu lato‐related isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all of the strains isolated from C. tinctorius belonged to the species described as C. chrysanthemi, whereas all of the strains belonging to C. carthami had been isolated from Calendula officinalis. Phenotypic characterization of isolates was performed by assessing growth rates at different temperatures, morphology of colonies on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and the size of conidia. All C. chrysanthemi isolates from safflower had similar growth rates at different temperatures, comparable colony morphologies when grown on PDA and conidial sizes consistent with previously described C. chrysanthemi isolates. Pathogenicity tests were performed by artificially inoculating both seeds and plants and confirmed the seedborne nature of this pathogen. When inoculated on plants, C. chrysanthemi caused the typical symptoms of anthracnose on leaves. This is the first record of this pathogen on C. tinctorius in Italy, and it presents an updated characterization of Colletotrichum isolates pathogenic to safflowers in Europe.     

Shoot Blight and Leaf Spot of Blueberry Anthracnose Caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis>

Shoot blight and leaf spots were found on highbush blueberry trees in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, in 1999. The causal fungus was identified morphologically as Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds ex Simmonds. This is the first report of blueberry anthracnose caused by C. acutatum in Japan. Received 16 November 2001/ Accepted in revised form 22 March 2002     

Anthracnose of belmore sentry palm (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Howea belmoreana</Emphasis> Becc.) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</Emphasis> (Penzig) Penzig et Saccardo

Severe leaf spots were found on the ornamental plant, belmore sentry palm (Howea belmoreana), grown in pots in a greenhouse in Ibusuki, Kagoshima, Japan in 2006. The isolated fungus caused the same symptoms after artificial inoculation and was identified morphologically and molecularly as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. In this first report of the disease, the name anthracnose of belmore sentry palm (kenchayashi-tanso-byo in Japanese) is proposed.     

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.

     

Anthracnose of bacopa caused by Colletotrichum destructivum

Severe spotting and blighting of leaves were found on bacopa (Sutera cordata), a scrophulariaceous ornamental, in greenhouses in Gunma Prefecture, Japan, from January through February 2007. After we isolated and identified the causal fungus as Colletotrichum destructivum and inoculated host plants with the isolate to confirm pathogenicity, we named this new disease anthracnose of bacopa.     

Anthracnose of centipede grass caused by Colletotrichum caudatum

Anthracnose disease was found on centipede grass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] planted as a ground cover on paddy field levees in Shiga Prefecture in 2004. The symptoms were ear blight, stalk blight, and leaf spots. The causal fungus was morphologically identified as Colletotrichum caudatum (Sacc.) Peck. This is the first report of centipede grass anthracnose caused by C. caudatum.     

Anthracnose of three-leaf akebia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Akebia trifoliata</Emphasis> Koidzumi) caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum acutatum</Emphasis>

In October 2001, anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum Simmonds ex Simmonds was found on three-leaf akebia (Akebia trifoliata) in Saitama, Japan. This is the first report of anthracnose on three-leaf akebia caused by C. acutatum.     

Anthracnose of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polygonatum falcatum</Emphasis> caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Colletotrichum dematium</Emphasis>

Severe spotting, blight and drop of leaves caused by Colletotrichum dematium were found on potted plants of Polygonatum falcatum, a liliaceous ornamental, in open fields in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, in May 2001. This new disease was named anthracnose of P. falcatum. Keisuke Tomioka, Jouji Moriwaki, Toyozo Sato contributed equally to this work. The fungal isolate and its nucleotide sequence data obtained in this study were deposited in Genebank, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences and the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accessions MAFF239500 and AB334523, respectively.     

First report of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Grapevine Algerian latent virus</Emphasis> disease on statice plants (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Limonium sinuatum</Emphasis>) in Japan

A viral disease was found in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, on statice (Limonium sinuatum) with chlorotic leaf spot, necrotic stunt, and dwarfing. Spherical virus particles 30 nm in diameter were isolated from infected plants and statice seedlings and caused identical symptoms 4 weeks after mechanical inoculation. Nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the coat protein showed 98% and 98.7% identities with those of Grapevine Algerian latent virus (GALV) nipplefruit strain. This is the first report in Japan of a viral disease on statice caused by GALV. The nucleotide sequence data reported here are available in the DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank databases under accession AB461854.     

Screening of weed extracts for antifungal properties against Colletotrichum lagenarium,the causal agent of anthracnose in cucumber

The antifungal activity of the leaf extracts from 203 weed species was investigated by performing a bioassay using cucumber plants and Colletotrichum orbiculare. The leaf extracts from four families, namely, Urticaceae, Onagraceae, Commelinaceae, and Solanaceae, showed a relatively stronger inhibition of the anthracnose lesions in cucumber plants when compared with the other families investigated in the study. A remarkable inhibition of anthracnose infection in cucumber leaves was observed with the extracts from the following 19 weed species: Boehmeria nipononivea and Boehmeria longispica, Persicaria scabra, Ranunculus japonicus and Ranunculus sceleratus, Cardamine flexuosa, Oenothera biennis, Aeschynomene indica, Indigofera pseudo‐tinctoria, Torilis scabra, Calystegia japonica, Solanum americanum, Bidens pilosa, Gnaphalium japonicum, Kalimeris yomena, Bromus catharticus, Cynodon dactylon, Alopecurus aequalis, and Scirpus tabernaemontani. In particular, it is noteworthy that the extracts from C. dactylon, K. yomena, and S. americanum completely inhibited anthracnose infection in cucumber.     

Morphological and molecular diversity of Colletotrichum spp. causing pepper spot and anthracnose of lychee (Litchi chinensis) in Australia

Since the 1980s a new disease has been affecting Australian lychee. Pepper spot appears as small, black superficial lesions on fruit, leaves, petioles and pedicels and is caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the same fungus that causes postharvest anthracnose of lychee fruit. The aim of this study was to determine if a new genotype of C. gloeosporioides is responsible for the pepper spot symptom. Morphological assessments, arbitrarily‐primed PCR (ap‐PCR) and DNA sequencing studies did not differentiate isolates of C. gloeosporioides from anthracnose and pepper spot lesions. The ap‐PCR identified 21 different genotypes of C. gloeosporioides, three of which were predominant. A specific genotype identified using ap‐PCR was associated with the production of the teleomorph in culture. Analysis of sequence data of ITS and β‐tubulin regions of representative isolates did not group the lychee isolates into a monophyletic clade; however, given the majority of the isolates were from one of three genotypes found using ap‐PCR, the possibility of a lychee specific group of C. gloeosporioides is discussed.     

甘肃省红豆草病原真菌鉴定及病害发生动态调查

为明确甘肃省红豆草的病害种类、发生动态和危害状况,采用病原物分离与培养、形态学及分子生物学鉴定和致病性测定确定红豆草病害种类,于2012—2013年在通渭、渭源、榆中和碌曲4县调查各病害的发病率以确定发生动态,观察病害田间发生特点并结合调查数据评价其重要性。结果表明,4县共发生真菌性病害12种,分别为大茎点霉叶斑病(病原为大茎点霉属真菌Macrophoma sp.)、壳针孢叶斑病(病原为歪头菜壳针孢Septoria orobina)、炭疽病(病原为白蜡树刺盘孢Colletotrichum spaethianum)、黑秆病(病原为红豆草壳二孢Ascochyta onobrychis、菠菜刺盘孢C.spinaciae和链格孢Alternaria alternata混合侵染)、壳二孢叶斑病、茎点霉叶斑病、尾孢叶斑病、柱格孢白斑病、匍柄霉叶斑病、链格孢黑斑病、锈病和白粉病,其中大茎点霉属真菌、白蜡树刺盘孢和菠菜刺盘孢在红豆草上首次发现;尾孢叶斑病和壳针孢叶斑病为甘肃新记录病害;大茎点霉叶斑病为世界新病害,仅于碌曲县发现。白粉病、锈病、链格孢黑斑病发生于红豆草生长后期,其它病害则始于6月;6—9月危害加重的为黑秆病和柱格孢白斑病,发病率最高达89.7%和96.0%;危害渐轻的为茎点霉叶斑病、壳二孢叶斑病和壳针孢叶斑病,发病率最高达88.7%、57.4%和45.1%。黑秆病和茎点霉叶斑病在甘肃省目前危害最重。     

Accumulation of H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>2</Subscript> in xylem fluids of cucumber stems during ASM-induced systemic acquired resistance (SAR) involves increased LOX activity and transient accumulation of shikimic acid

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) to Colletotrichum orbiculare was induced in young cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plants within 3 h of ASM (acibenzolar-S-methyl) application onto the first leaves. A potent signal associated with significant accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in xylem fluids from severed stems appeared to be rapidly translocated from elicited lower leaves within 3 h and 6 h after treatment. Some metabolites of the shikimate, phenylpropanoid and lignin biosynthetic pathways were quantified and significant increases in the levels of shikimic acid were observed in ASM-treated plants challenge-inoculated with the anthracnose fungus. Furthermore, the expression of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase gene (EPSPS) was 1.5 times higher within 12 h after ASM treatment in challenge-inoculated plants than in the untreated control. The involvement of lipoxygenase activity, shikimic acid and others such as caffeic acid in the induction of SAR is discussed.