First report of Colletotrichum karstii causing anthracnose on blueberry leaves in Brazil.
Rios J. A., Pinho D. B., Moreira W. R., Pereira O. L., Rodrigues F. A.
Author Affiliation: Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa 36570-900, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Plant Disease 99 : 157-158
Abstract : In May 2013, an isolate typical of the Colletotrichum boninense complex (cylindrical conidia with both ends rounded) was obtained from leaves of southern highbush blueberry [Vaccinium corymbosum] seedlings in a nursery located in the municipality of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The symptoms initially appear as circular, necrotic lesions 10 to 30 mm in diameter. At high humidity, lesions expand rapidly to cover the entire foliar surface, leading to severe defoliation of the seedlings. This disease occurred in 100% of the seedlings, causing serious losses in the nursery. Based on morphological characteristics, molecular data (sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and ?-tubulin 2 regions) and pathogenicity tests, the causal agent was identified as Colletotrichum karstii [C. karsti]. This fungus has a wide host range and in Brazil has been previously reported on Bombax aquaticum, Carica papaya, Eugenia uniflora, Malus domestica and Mangifera indica. This is thought to be the first report of Colletotrichum karstii causing anthracnose on leaves of blueberry seedlings in Brazil or worldwide.