Vegetative Compatibility Grouping and Pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Isolates from Different Host Plants

Abstract

A total of 57 isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides were recovered from diseased tissues of Hall's crab apple (Malus haliana), 3 cultivars of edible apple (M. pumila var. dulcissima), red pepper (Capsicum annum), and grapevine (Vitis vinifera) fruits. All isolates showed strong virulence on their own host plants. Isolates from edible apple exhibited high level of cultivar specificity in pathogenicity tests. Ten isolates from apple cultivar 'Fuji' were virulent on 'Jonathan' and 'Rall's Genet'. However, 12 isolates from 'Jonathan' and 'Rall's Genet' were not virulent on 'Fuji'. Among the 24 isolates from red pepper, only seven and two isolates were infective on edible apple and grapevine fruits, respectively. All six isolates from grapevine were only virulent on their own host. These isolates were grouped into five vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs), A, B, C, D, and E, by demonstrating heterokaryosis through complementation using nitrate-nonutilizing (nit) mutants. Among them, isolates belong to VCG-A and VCG-D accounted for 24 and 17 isolates； those in VCG-A exhibited wide host range involving Hall's crab apple, all three edible apple cultivars, and red pepper. On the other hand, isolates of VCG-D and VCG-E showed limited host range specific to red pepper and grapevine, respectively. Taken together, the data suggest that among C. gloeosporioides isolates, the concepts of pathotype and/or forma specialis may exist, and that three is a relationship between host specificity and VCG grouping among C. gloeosporioides isolates.