Characterization of Colletotrichum Isolates from Strawberry and Other Hosts with Reference to Cross-Inoculation Potential

Gunjan Sharma; Marcel Maymon; Vineet Meshram; Stanley Freeman

doi:10.3390/plants11182373

Characterization of Colletotrichum Isolates from Strawberry and Other Hosts with Reference to Cross-Inoculation Potential

Plants (Basel). 2022 Sep 11;11(18):2373. doi: 10.3390/plants11182373.

Authors

Gunjan Sharma¹, Marcel Maymon¹, Vineet Meshram¹, Stanley Freeman¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research, Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research Organization-Volcani Institute, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel.

Abstract

Colletotrichum is an important phytopathogenic fungus that causes anthracnose disease in diverse agronomically important tropical food crops. Accurate pathogen identification is critical for early diagnosis and efficient management of anthracnose. ITS is not a reliable marker for this fungal genus due to its failure to phylogenetically resolve cryptic species. In this study, 36 Colletotrichum isolates belonging to the Acutatum, Boninense and Gloeosporioides species complexes were characterized using multigene phylogenetic analyses, morphology and pathogenicity assays. Additionally, the cross-inoculation potential of a representative subset of isolates was evaluated revealing that cross-infection potential is possible among the isolates belonging to the same species complex.

Keywords: anthracnose; morphology; multi-locus phylogeny; plant pathogenic fungi; taxonomy.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by the Institute of Plant Protection, ARO, Volcani Institute, Israel, and the ARO postdoctoral fellowship award to G.S. and V.M.