Aniket A. Chandanshive and Mahadev B. Kanade
Abstract
Chilli anthracnose, caused by fungi of the genus Colletotrichum, is a devastating disease that leads to significant yield and economic losses worldwide. This study investigated the disease epidemiology and identification of Colletotrichum species in the major chilli-growing region of Baramati, Maharashtra. Field surveys revealed a high mean disease incidence of 45.8% in the region. Fruits exhibiting symptoms yielded 25 fungal isolates. All isolates were found to be harmful based on pathogenicity testing; however, there as considerable variance in virulence. Morphocultural characterization grouped the isolates into three distinct categories. Multi-locus phylogenetic analysis identified these groups as Colletotrichum scovillei (the most prevalent species), C. truncatum and the highly aggressive C. siamense. Statistical analysis of meteorological data showed that disease incidence had a strong positive and significant correlation with relative humidity (r=0.89, P=0.001) and rainfall (r=0.85, P=0.003). Relative humidity was the most influential factor, explaining 72% of the variation in disease development. This investigation is the first to molecularly confirm the presence of this three-species complex on chilli from Baramati. The results emphasize the need for anthracnose management techniques in this area that consider pathogen diversity and concentrate mainly on reducing high humidity times through targeted fungicide application and cultural practices.