Infestation of red currant berries and its varieties by fungi of genus Colletotrichum Sacc. in Russia

Abstract

Some species of parasitic fungi from the genus Colletotrichum afflict the vegetative organs of a plant, while the others affect the reproductive organs. This results in the deterioration of berry quality and yield and the potential death of a plant. Colletotrichum fungi causing anthracnose in the red currant berry were first isolated in Russia from the fruits of red currant (Ribes rubrum) and its varieties received from the Moscow, Yaroslavl and Kostroma regions and the Mari El Republic. The susceptibility of these crop varieties depended on the infection potential of Colletotrichums pp. in the plantings and weather conditions. Infestation symptoms include wrinkled fruit that develops during berry ripening. Species of this pathogen are preserved within mummy berries and dry clusters on the branches. The flowers were infected under the conditions of the Moscow Region in the first decade of May 2021; under the conditions of continental climate in the Mari El Republic, visual symptoms of the disease were absent within this period; however, the pathogen had already been present in the plantations. Therefore, it can be concluded that the pathogens behave as biotrophs when infecting red currant. The results of morphological and molecular genetic analyses showed that two species of the genus Colletotrichum parasitise on red currant in the Moscow region: Colletotrichum godetiae Neerg., Friesia and Colletotrichum fioriniae Marcelino&Gouli.