Molecular detection and quantification of Colletotrichum abscissum in sweet orange propagative material

Postbloom fruit drop disease (PFD) has caused serious impacts on citrus production in the Americas, occurring sporadically and suddenly during rain in the flowering period. In São Paulo State, Brazil, Colletotrichum abscissum is the causal agent responsible for over 80% of the disease incidence. Pathogen dispersal over long distances and the origin of primary inoculum are still unclear for PFD epidemics. We tested the hypothesis that citrus propagation material can harbour C. abscissum DNA by quantifying it in leaves of budwood increase block trees (BIB) and young citrus plants (YP) using multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR). C. abscissum DNA was detected in all citrus nurseries, regardless of the type of propagative material, the sweet orange variety, or the nursery location. Overall, 73.4% of all samples from citrus nurseries have DNA from the pathogen, with a detection limit of 10 conidia. The average of 155 conidia found in YP was higher than the conidia observed on leaf samples from BIB (p = 0.03), although leaf samples from cultivars Valencia and Pera did not differ significantly, with means around 127 and 118 conidia, respectively (p = 0.75). This is the first molecular detection of C. abscissum in citrus propagative material. The multiplex qPCR assay may be used as a protocol for an accurate diagnosis of C. abscissum in citrus propagative material, may assist a better understanding of the pathogen dispersal over long distances, and may be used for further studies involving the quantification of C. abscissum in citrus orchards.