Invading time of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides affects fruit drop and infection rate in 'Irwin' mango (Mangifera indica L.).
Chang ChinHsing, Lin TzongShyan, Yang WenJu
Author Affiliation: Tainan District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, COA, No. 70 Muchang, Hsinhua, Tainan 71246, Taiwan.
Horticulture, Environment and Biotechnology 53 : 452-459
Abstract : To improve mango anthracnose management in Taiwan, the critical timing when anthracnose invades mango panicles is a priority subject. A 3-years field study was conducted by inoculating panicles at different developmental stages with 105 conidia/mL suspensions. Invading panicles at the full blooming stage resulted in 67.2% of panicles without setting any fruit and 61.1% of the fruitlets dropped, highest latent infection rate in the unripe fruits, and highest infection rate and largest infected area in the ripe fruits during the postharvest stage. Based on the data provided, we concluded that full blooming stage was the critical stage for C. gloeosporioides control in mango production, and suggest that controlling the population of field pathogens before full blooming stage should be emphasized in routine practice.