Identification and phylogenetic correlation among Colletotrichum gloeosporioides pathogen of anthracnose for mango

Abstract

Anthracnose is recognized as the most important disease of field and post-harvest disease of mango worldwide. It has affected the fruit production in all countries where mangoes are grown, particularly where high humidity prevails during the cropping session. Severe lesions along with black spots on leaves, inflorescence and fruits on mango (Magnifera indica L.) were observed during routine survey at several sites with mango trees in Eastern Uttar Pradesh indicating the occurrence of anthracnose disease. The pathogen was isolated from several infected samples and matched characteristics of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz. and Sacc. by microscopic, cultural studies and on the basis of spore formation. Pure cultures of C. gloeosporioides were maintained and further identification of this pathogen was conducted using the internal transcribed spacer region of the known C. gloeosporioides rDNA region 5.8S. Sequence similarity of the collected isolates was 100% with some C. gloeosporioides isolates and phylogenetic analysis also showed the close relationship. Although there are many prior reports on anthracnose disease on mango in India, confirmation of this disease on mango from isolates in India is confirmed by sequence analysis for the first time.