Epidemiology,histopathology and aetiology of olive anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum and C. gloeosporioides in Portugal

Anthracnose is an important disease affecting mature olive fruits, causing significant yield losses, and poor fruit and oil quality. In Portugal, high anthracnose incidence was recorded during 2003–2007 with 41% of 908 orchards surveyed displaying disease symptoms. In another 14% of the orchards, the pathogen was recorded in symptomless plants. Disease severity was on average 36%, frequently reaching 100%. In Portugal, anthracnose is endemic to neglected orchards of susceptible cultivars, but under favourable conditions it can also severely affect less susceptible cultivars. Pathogens were genetically heterogeneous, with Colletotrichum acutatum genetic group A2 as the most frequent (80%), followed by group A4 (12%) and group A5 along with C. gloeosporioides (3–4%), while groups A3 and A6 of C. acutatum were sporadic. Important geographic variations were observed in the frequencies of these populations, accompanied by year‐to‐year populational shifts. Epidemiology and histopathology studies showed the presence of the pathogens on vegetative organs year‐round, particularly on olive leaves and branches, and on weeds. These represent inoculum reservoirs where secondary conidiation occurs, and conidia are then dispersed by spring rains reaching flowers and young fruits or by autumn rains reaching pre‐mature fruits. Unripe fruits were colonized without showing symptoms up to penetration of the cuticle, but further colonization and symptom production was completed only as fruits matured. These findings challenge current control practices, particularly the timing of fungicide treatment, and contribute to improved disease management.     

Molecular identification of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing yam anthracnose in Nigeria

Four forms of Colletotrichum representing three distinct virulence phenotypes were found associated with foliar anthracnose of yam in Nigeria: the highly virulent (= severity of disease) slow-growing grey (SGG); the moderately virulent fast-growing salmon (FGS); the weakly virulent fast-growing grey (FGG); and the moderately virulent fast-growing olive (FGO) morphotype. Isolates of the four forms were identified as C. gloeosporioides , based on morphology. The reaction of monoconidial cultures on casein hydrolysis medium (CHM), PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal DNA (ITS1-5·8S-ITS2) were used to establish the identity of the yam anthracnose pathogen(s). All yam isolates were distinguished from C. acutatum by the absence of protease activity on CHM. On ITS PCR and enzymatic digestion of PCR products, all FGS, FGO and SGG isolates produced RFLP patterns identical to those of C. gloeosporioides reference isolates, while FGG isolates revealed unique ITS RFLP banding patterns. Sequence analysis of the ITS1 region and of the entire ITS region revealed that SGG, FGS and FGO isolates were highly similar (98–99% nucleotide identity) and showed 97–100% identity to C. gloeosporioides . Less than 93% similarity of these fungal isolates to reference C. acutatum and C. lindemuthianum isolates was observed. The molecular study confirmed that foliar anthracnose of yam is caused by C. gloeosporioides . While a high similarity was found among most C. gloeosporioides fungi from yam, isolates of the FGG form did not cluster with any previously described Colletotrichum species, and probably represent a distinct species.     

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.     

Species of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. boninense complexes associated with olive anthracnose

The taxonomic status of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides sensu lato (s.l.) associated with olive anthracnose is still undetermined and the pathogenic ability of this species complex is controversial. In the present study, isolates obtained from olive and provisionally identified as C. gloeosporioides s.l. on the basis of morphological and cultural features were reclassified using ITS and TUB2 as DNA barcode markers and referred to seven distinct species, recently separated within C. gloeosporioides (C. aenigma, C. gloeosporioides sensu stricto (s.s.), C. kahawae, C. queenslandicum, C. siamense and C. theobromicola) and C. boninense (C. karstii) species complexes. Furthermore, isolates of C. kahawae were ascribed to the subspecies ciggaro by analysing the GS gene. A single isolate, not in either of these two species complexes, was not identified at the species level. In pathogenicity tests on detached olive drupes some of these species, including C. aenigma, C. kahawae subsp. ciggaro, C. queenslandicum, C. siamense and C. karstii, were shown to be weakly pathogenic. Moreover, they were found very sporadically on olive. In contrast, some isolates of C. gloeosporioides s.s. and isolates of C. theobromicola proved to be virulent on both green and ripening olives. This study gives a better insight into both the aetiology and the epidemiology of olive anthracnose and might have implications for biosecurity and quarantine because C. theobromicola has never been reported in major European olive‐producing countries.     

Strawberry Anthracnose: Histopathology of Colletotrichum acutatum and C. fragariae

ABSTRACT Ontogeny of the invasion process by Colletotrichum acutatum and C. fragariae was studied on petioles and stolons of the strawberry cultivar Chandler using light and electron microscopy. The invasion of host tissue by each fungal species was similar; however, each invasion event occurred more rapidly with C. fragariae than with C. acutatum. Following cuticular penetration via an appressorium, subsequent steps of invasion involved hyphal growth within the cuticle and within the cell walls of epidermal, subepidermal, and subtending cells. Both species of fungi began invasion with a brief biotrophic phase before entering an extended necrotrophic phase. Acervuli formed once the cortical tissue had been moderately disrupted and began with the development of a stroma just beneath the outer periclinal epidermal walls. Acervuli erupted through the cuticle and released conidia. Invasion of the vascular tissue typically occurred after acervulus maturation and remained minimal. Chitin distribution in walls of C. fragariae was visualized with gold-labeled wheat germ agglutinin. The outer layer of bilayered walls of conidia, germ tubes, and appressoria contained less chitin than unilayered hyphae in planta.     

Novel infection strategies of Colletotrichum acutatum on ripe blueberry fruit

The infection and colonization process of Colletotrichum acutatum on ripe blueberry fruit from two cultivars with different susceptibility to anthracnose were examined using light and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Ripe fruit from susceptible cv. Jersey and resistant cv. Elliott were drop-inoculated with a conidial suspension of C. acutatum, and epidermal peels were evaluated at selected times after inoculation and incubation. Results from pre-penetration studies demonstrated that there were significant differences in the rate of formation of melanized appressoria between the two cultivars, with the rate of formation being faster in the susceptible one. In both cultivars, penetration by the pathogen occurred via appressoria 48 h post-inoculation (hpi). However, in the susceptible cv. Jersey, C. acutatum then adopted an intracellular hemibiotrophic-like infection strategy, whereas in the resistant cv. Elliott subcuticular intramural-like infection occurred. In cv. Jersey by 108 hpi, intracellular growth of the pathogen led to the formation of numerous acervuli, with orange conidial masses. By 120 hpi, the conidial masses had coalesced covering the entire inoculated area. In cv. Elliott, acervuli were not seen until 144 hpi and contained few conidia. These results demonstrate for the first time the ability of C. acutatum to adopt a different infection and colonization strategy depending on the susceptibility of the host tissue being colonized.     

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.     

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     

柑橘炭疽病菌的生物学特性及枯草芽胞杆菌对其的抑制作用

近5年来,湖南麻阳苗族自治县的柑橘种植园发生柑橘炭疽病。采集发病柑橘植株,分离其病原菌,从病原菌的培养性状和形态学特征、内转录区(ITS)序列分析和系统发育关系比较等方面对该病原菌进行了鉴定,并探索了枯草芽胞杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)CGMCC 1.354对其的抑制作用。结果表明:该地区柑橘炭疽病菌为盘长孢状刺盘孢(Colletotrichum gloeosporioides)。枯草芽胞杆菌CGMCC 1.354对该病原菌具有较强的抑制作用,其分泌的抑菌物质能抑制柑橘炭疽病菌菌丝生长和孢子萌发。     

油茶炭疽病病原鉴定及绿色防治药剂筛选

油茶炭疽病是我国油茶重要病害,为筛选出有效的防治药剂,本研究从我国油茶主产区采集具有典型症状的炭疽病病叶分离病原菌,结合病原菌形态特征和多基因系统发育分析对其进行了系统鉴定,并采用菌丝生长速率法测定病原菌对化学杀菌剂敏感性。结果表明,本研究分离出的17株油茶炭疽病菌均属于刺盘孢属胶孢复合群(Gloeosporioides complex)真菌,包括山茶刺盘孢Colletotrichum camelllae、果生刺盘孢Colletotrichum fructicola、暹罗刺盘孢Colletotrichum siamense、胶孢刺盘孢Colletotrichum gloeosporioides、卡瓦刺盘孢Colletotrichum kahawae、哈锐刺盘孢Colletotrichum horri等。测试的13种杀菌剂中,油茶炭疽病菌对咪鲜胺药剂最敏感,平均EC₅₀值为0.035 μg/mL;其次为氟啶胺、多菌灵、咯菌腈、吡唑醚菌酯、苯醚甲环唑、氟环唑、苯并烯氟菌唑和戊唑醇,平均EC₅₀依次为0.076、0.169、0.202、0.243、0.342、0.490、0.534和1.401 μg/mL;此外,测试的油茶炭疽病菌对嘧菌酯、啶酰菌胺、氟醚菌酰胺和氟吡菌酰胺四种药剂均不敏感,平均EC₅₀值大于100 μg/mL。     

辣椒炭疽病菌对嘧菌酯的敏感性测定

 从江苏和海南省随机采集分离获得45个辣椒炭疽病菌单孢菌株,根据孢子形态鉴定其病原菌为Colletotrichum gloeosporioides和C.capsici,其中C.gloeosporioides占总菌株数的64.4%.筛选出甘油琼脂(AEA)培养基和水琼脂(WA)培养基,分别作为产孢法和孢子萌发法测定辣椒炭疽病菌对嘧菌酯敏感性的适宜培养基.通过孢子萌发法测定2种病原菌45个菌株对嘧菌酯的敏感性范围在0.009~0.091μg/mL之间,平均EC₅₀为(0.047±0.040)μg/mL.其中29个C.gloeosporioides菌株和16个C.capsici菌株的平均EC₅₀值分别为(0.051±0.047)μg/mL和(0.041±0.024)μg/mL.研究发现旁路氧化酶抑制剂水杨肟酸(SHAM)对嘧菌酯抑制分生孢子萌发有协同增效作用,且嘧菌酯抑制辣椒炭疽病菌菌丝生长的能力较弱.     

Localized hemibiotrophy in Colletotrichum: cytological and molecular taxonomic similarities among C. destructivum, C. linicola and C. truncatum

The infection process of hemibiotrophic isolates of Colletotrichum linicola (from flax, Linum usitatissimum ) and C . truncatum (from broad bean, Vicia faba and lentil, Lens culinaris ) was studied by light microscopy. Host surfaces were penetrated directly leading to a symptomless, biotrophic phase characterized by the elaboration of large multilobed, multiseptate, vesicular primary hyphae that were restricted to the initially infected epidermal cells. Biotrophy lasted for the first 48 h of the host-pathogen interaction and was rapidly succeeded by a necrotrophic phase during which narrow, secondary hyphae invaded the surrounding leaf tissues and water-soaked spreading lesions with sporulating, monosetate acervuli were produced on infected host surfaces. Molecular taxonomic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the amplified D2 and ITS-2 regions of rDNA revealed very close similarities (97–99%) between these isolates and those of C . destructivum obtained from cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) and lucerne ( Medicago sativa ), and also of C . truncatum obtained from pea ( Pisum sativum ). This association was consistent with results from a comparative assessment of some in-planta and in-vitro morphological and growth characteristics of these hemibiotrophic fungi. It was concluded that localized hemibiotrophy is an infection strategy utilized predominantly by a closely-related group of pathogens comprising C . destructivum , C . linicola and C. truncatum , and the formation of multilobed primary hyphae restricted to the first penetrated cell might therefore be a key taxonomic character which correlates consistently with ITS sequence data.     

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。     

Effect of humidity and temperature on conidial germination and appressorium development of two Philippine isolates of the mango anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

A comparison of rates of germination and appressorium formation by an isolate of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on mango leaves, fruit surfaces and cellophane membranes showed that behaviour was broadly similar on all three substrates. Frequency of appressorium formation was slightly higher on cellophane membranes, and both hyaline and melanized appressoria were formed. Only melanized appressoria were formed on mango surfaces. In vitro experiments on membranes showed comparative differences in physiological behaviour with temperature for two Philippine isolates of C. gloeosporioides . The most stimulatory temperature for production of appressoria differed in isolates I-2 and I-4 (25 and 20°C, respectively). At 30°C more appressoria became melanized than at lower temperatures, but the frequency of formation of penetration pegs was highest at 25°C. Conidia of C. gloeosporioides germinated on cellophane membranes at relative humidities as low as 95%, but the percentage of conidia germinating and forming appressoria increased as the RH approached 100%. Approximately 18% of conidia of C. gloeosporioides I-2 held at 62 and 86% RH for 4 weeks retained viability, and some were capable of forming appressoria when placed at 100% RH. These results have implications for epidemiological models for disease control.     

Occurrence and development of Colletotrichum acutatum on symptomless blueberry bushes

The anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum acutatum was detected in symptomless blueberry bushes ( Vaccinium spp.) in a Japanese blueberry field. Naturally diseased bushes and their apparently healthy neighbours were selected, and C. acutatum was isolated from the symptomless tissues of each bush from February 2000 to January 2002. Analysis of the diseased bushes during the dormant period revealed that the fungus was able to survive on symptomless tissues, such as shoot bark and bud scales. Furthermore, C. acutatum was consistently isolated from symptomless leaves and shoots of several surrounding symptomless bushes. Arbitrarily primed PCR (ap-PCR) analyses of the fungal isolates obtained from the diseased and symptomless bushes revealed that most C. acutatum isolates were genotypically identical, regardless of their origins. Inoculation tests using leaves of various blueberry cultivars suggested that the presence or absence of symptoms on each bush can not always be explained by differences in cultivar susceptibility, and other factors may be associated with the appearance of symptoms.     

Multilocus identification and thiophanate-methyl sensitivity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides species complex associated with fruit with symptoms and symptomless leaves of mango

Colletotrichum spp. are known causal agents of anthracnose in a broad host range, causing severe losses. Currently, the most effective way to reduce disease is by fungicide application, which could give rise to resistant populations. This study aimed to determine the Colletotrichum species present in conventional and organic mango orchards and to evaluate their pathogenicity and sensitivity to the benzimidazole fungicide thiophanate-methyl. Seventy-one isolates from fruit with symptoms and symptomless leaves were obtained. From these, 20 representative morphotypes were analysed based on glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase partial gene sequencing. A subset of 10 isolates based on different species, isolation source, and fungicide sensitivity was used for morphological and multilocus phylogenetic analysis. Colletotrichum queenslandicum was only identified in conventional production systems, C. chrysophilum only in organic systems, and C. asianum and C. siamense in both. Pathogenicity tests showed all species were pathogenic, and only C. asianum caused symptoms via both unwounded and wounded inoculation methods. Overall, 25.3% of isolates (n = 18) that belong to C. siamense, isolated from a conventional orchard, grew on thiophanate-methyl amended media at 1,000 µg/ml, suggesting high resistance. Resistance was not correlated with any common point mutations at positions 198 and 200 of the β-tubulin 2 protein, as commonly found in other fungal pathogens resistant to benzimidazole. The 74.7% remaining isolates (n = 53) belonging to the other species were sensitive, reaching 100% inhibition at <10 µg/ml. Even with benzimidazole application, anthracnose symptoms persist due to the emergence of pathogenic Colletotrichum subpopulations that are resistant to thiophanate-methyl.     

UV-C照射对草莓炭疽病3种致病菌生活力和致病力的影响

炭疽病是草莓种植中普遍发生、危害严重的病害之一,而UV-C对真菌的生长繁殖有极大的影响。为了探究UV-C辐照对引起草莓炭疽病的3种主要病原菌生长和致病力影响的差异,以果生炭疽菌Colletotrichum fructicola、胶孢炭疽菌C.gloeosporioides和暹罗炭疽菌C.siamense为供试菌,分析UV-C辐照对其分生孢子存活、菌丝生长和产孢能力及对草莓叶片致病力的影响。结果显示,在105～420 J/m~2辐照剂量(辐照30～120 s)范围内,3种炭疽菌孢子的相对存活率对UV-C辐照剂量的响应存在显著差异,C.gloeosporioides的耐受性最强,C.fructicola最为敏感,辐照剂量420 J/m~2(辐照120 s)下,3种炭疽菌孢子的相对存活率在4%或以下,接近分生孢子的致死剂量。840～1 260 J/m~2辐照剂量(辐照4～6 min)下,C.fructicola与C.gloeosporioides菌丝生长对UV-C辐照的耐受性相当;1 680～2 520 J/m~2辐照剂量(辐照8～12 min)下,3种炭疽菌对不同时间的UV-C辐照的耐受性...     

Efficacy of UV‐C radiation to reduce seedborne anthracnose (Colletotrichum acutatum) from Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis)

The potential of UV‐C radiation of Andean lupin (Lupinus mutabilis) seeds to eradicate seedborne infections of anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum was investigated. UV‐C doses from 0 to 691.2 kJ m^?2 (resulting from 0 to 96 h of exposure time) on disease incidence reduction and germination on artificially and naturally infected seed were evaluated. The degree of incidence reduction and seed germination was dependent on the dose of UV‐C. The UV‐C doses of 86.4 kJ m^?2 and higher reduced incidence from 6% to 7% to undetectable levels, but these UV‐C doses also reduced seed germination. UV‐C can deleteriously affect physiological processes and overall growth. To assess its impact, L. mutabilis seeds irradiated with UV‐C doses of 57.6 and 86.4 kJ m^?2 were grown. Seedlings grown from noninfected seed and UV‐C treated seed showed an increased concentration of chlorophyll and protein contents, as well as an increase in the activation of defence enzymes peroxidase and catalase, in comparison with plants grown from infected seed. UV‐C doses resulted in seed emergence and seedling dry weight rates that were similar to the noninfected control or better than the fungicide control. Moreover, 57.6 kJ m^?2 reduced transmission of the pathogen from seed to the plantlets by 80%, while 86.4 kJ m^?2 apparently eradicated the pathogen, under greenhouse conditions. The use of UV‐C, first reported here, is advantageous for controlling anthracnose in lupin.     

13种萜类化合物对胶孢炭疽菌和链格孢的抑制活性

炭疽菌Colletotrichum和链格孢Alternaria是引起植物病害的重要真菌,给农业生产造成巨大的损失。本研究选取13种萜类化合物,采用菌丝生长速率法对胶孢炭疽菌、链格孢进行抑菌活性分析。研究结果表明:香芹酚、丁香酚、异丁香酚、枯茗醛、百里香酚对两种病原菌有较好的抑菌活性,其中香芹酚对胶孢炭疽菌和链格孢的抑菌活性最强,IC50分别为40.89μg/mL和18.19μg/mL。本试验为植物精油和天然杀菌剂的开发利用提供理论依据。