Three Colletotrichum Species Responsible for Anthracnose on Synsepalum dulcificum (Miracle Fruit)

Abstract

By 2016, fruit rot and two different leaf diseases (leaf spot and leaf blight) were found on Synsepalum dulcificum (miracle fruit) in Tokyo, Kanagawa and Kagoshima prefectures of Japan. From the lesions, abundant conidial masses and acervuli of three Colletotrichum species, two of which produced sexual state, were observed. We conducted a pathogenicity assay using these Colletotrichum species on healthy fruits and leaves of S. dulcificum. Our artificial inoculation tests showed symptoms of disease on tested fruit and leaf and indicated all three Colletotrichum species as causal agents of anthracnose on S. dulcificum. Based on morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS, GAPDH, ACT, CAL and TUB2 loci, these species were identified as Colletotrichum aenigma (MAFF 246750), C. siamense (MAFF 246751) and C. karstii (MAFF 245966). They have been previously reported as plant pathogenic fungi elsewhere in the world. This is the first report of fruit rot, leaf blight and leaf spot on S. dulcificum caused by these three Colletotrichum species.

Re-identification of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Species Complex Isolates in Korea and Their Host Plants

“…C. aenigma was introduced by Weir et al ( 2012) and this fungus later became a very popular species, causing anthracnose on the grapevine, Asian pear, and walnut in China (Fu et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2021;Yan et al, 2015), on dragon fruits in Thailand (Meetum et al, 2015), on avocado in Israel (Sharma et al, 2017), on miracle in Japan (Truong et al, 2018), on grape and orange stonecrop in Korea (Choi et al, 2017;Kim et al, 2021). In our study, this fungus was isolated from five new hosts (Ampelopsis glandulosa f. citrulloides, Boehmeria japonica, Ilex rotunda, Laurus nobilis, and Zanthoxylum schinifolium) belonging to the five different families.…”

Colletotrichum aenigma Associated with Apple Bitter Rot on Newly Bred cv. RubyS Apple

“…C. aenigma has been reported as a pathogen associated with anthracnose on several hosts, including grape and Sedum kamtschaticum (Orange stonecrop) in Korea (Choi et al, 2017;Kim et al, 2021); grapevine, Asian pear, and walnut in China (Fu et al, 2019;Wang et al, 2021;Yan et al 2015); avocado in Israel (Sharma et al, 2017); Synsepalum dulcificum (miracle fruit) in Japan (Truong et al, 2018); and Hylocereus undatus (dragon fruit) in Thailand (Meetum et al, 2015). However, this fungal pathogen has not been reported as the causal agent of bitter rot on apple fruits.…”