Abstract
Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum spp. is an important disease of blueberries and results in large economic losses for blueberry growers. Samples of anthracnose were collected from six main blueberry cultivation areas in Sichuan Province. In total, 74 Colletotrichum isolates were obtained through a single-spore purification method and identified to the species through morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses based on partial DNA sequences of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, and the β-tubulin (TUB2), actin (ACT) and calmodulin (CAL) genes. Among all species, Colletotrichum fructicola was the most dominant species, with an isolation percentage of up to 66.2% in Sichuan, followed by Colletotrichum siamense (17.6%), C. kahawae (5.4%), C. karstii (5.4%), C. nymphaeae (2.7%) and C. sichuaninese (2.7%). Pathogenicity tests showed all species were able to cause typical anthracnose symptoms on blueberry leaves and stems. Colletotrichum fructicola was the predominant species with strong aggressiveness. Moreover, C. fructicola, C. kahawae, C. sichuaninese and C. nymphaeae are first reported here to cause blueberry anthracnose. This study provides a comprehensive reference for the association of different Colletotrichum spp., which may support the sustainable management of blueberry anthracnose.
Highlights
Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) belongs to the family Ericaceae, subfamily Vaccinoideae [1].Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, anthocyanins, tannins and folic acid, which help prevent and delay aging [2]
74 isolates were obtained from 85 blueberry anthracnose samples, mainly collected from major blueberry cultivation areas in Sichuan Province, China
Six species of Colletotrichum associated with blueberry anthracnose were characterized using a phylogenetic approach
Summary
Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) belongs to the family Ericaceae, subfamily Vaccinoideae [1].Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, anthocyanins, tannins and folic acid, which help prevent and delay aging [2]. The market demand is expanding, global blueberry production is increasing, and the price of blueberries continues to increase [3] Because of their high nutrient and business prospects, blueberries have been widely cultivated worldwide [4,5]. The increased cultivation of blueberries drastically promotes severe infectious diseases that cause significant economic losses to the blueberry industry. Among these diseases, blueberry anthracnose has been considered one of the most serious diseases causing economic damage in North America [6], Japan [7], Spain [8], South Korea [9], China [10], and other countries worldwide. Due to the high humidity conditions in Sichuan Province, the incidence of anthracnose in major blueberry regions usually reaches 30%, and the disease worsens with tree age, resulting in severe deciduous leaves or dead trees, with yields decreasing by 10~15% in some severe regions
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