A phenetic analysis of <i>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</i> isolates from selected host plants

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a ubiquitous fungus which infects a wide variety of plants in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions. This fungus accounts for substantial economic losses through out the world via both preharvest and postharvest diseases. A phenetic analysis of C. gloeosporioides isolated from Capsicum frutescens, Carica papaya, Mangifera indica, Persea americana, Ficus religiosa and Hevea brasiliensis was carried out to identify sub-specific populations. A total of 40 isolates from these six host species were used. The overall similarity among different isolates of C. gloeosporioides was determined using culture, conidial and appressorial characteristics. According to the resulting phenogram, fungal isolates had divided into two distinct groups at the initial stage separating C. papaya isolates from the rest of the isolates . The subsequent branching has lead to separation of C. gloeosporioides isolates of different hosts into distinct groups. A high degree of similarity was observed among the isolates obtained from C. frutescens , H. brasiliensis and F . religiosa. Similarly, isolates of P. americana and M . indica appear to be morphologically more similar to each other. Further, the study confirms the cross infection potential of some C. gloeosporioides isolates and the presence of host specific populations Key Words: anthracnose; phenetic analysis; cross inoculation DOI: 10.4038/cjsbs.v38i2.1859 Cey. J. Sci. (Bio. Sci.) 38 (2): 57-66, 2009