Pineapple is one of the most economically important fruits in tropical countries, particularly in Thailand. Canned pineapple is currently Thailand's main exported commodity to many countries, including the United States, Russia, Germany, Poland, and Japan. Fungal diseases are considered a permanent threat to fruits in the pre- and post-harvest stages, leading to considerable economic losses. Fungal disease is one of the primary causes of massive yield losses in pineapples around the world. Colletotrichum species are the most common fungal pathogens affecting different tropical fruits. Although there are many reports regarding Colletotrichum species associated with pineapple, they do not have molecular data to confirm species identification. However, the occurrence of Colletotrichum species on pineapple has not been reported in Thailand so far. In this study, we isolated and identified Colletotrichum fructicola on pineapple in northern Thailand and have proven its pathogenicity to the host. This is the first report of the occurrence of Colletotrichum in pineapple, based on morpho-molecular approaches.
Keywords: Ananas comosus; new record; phylogeny; plant pathogen; taxonomy; tropical fruit.