Anthracnose of stone fruits, caused by species of the genus <i>Colletotrichum</i>

Abstract

Fungi from the genus Colletotrichum in the Moscow region affect the main stone fruit crops. In the Lipetsk region and the Republic of Mari-El, these pathogens were noted on cherries. The most affected crop is cherry, which in some years can lose 50-70 % of fruits from anthracnose. Varieties Apukhtinskaya and Rusinka were the most heavily affected by anthracnose. On plum and plum-cherry, the symptoms of anthracnose appear later than on cherry and sweet cherry. The appearance of symptoms is associated with the maturation of these cultures. On the plum, infection of the ovaries with Colletotrichum spp. can also inhibit the development of fruits, and their abscission, especially if the infection of fruits occurs in conjunction with other pathogenic fungi. Molecular genetic analysis of two cultures of Colletotrichum isolated from cherry fruits showed that the cultures belong to two species. These are Colletotrichum fioriniae and Colletotrichum godetiae. Artificial infection of green plum fruits in laboratory conditions showed that two isolates of Colletotrichum sp. godetiae isolated from golden currant and cherry fruits successfully infect green plum fruits. The most effective for infection is the method of infection in the puncture of the skin of the fetus.