First report of Colletotrichum perseae Causing Anthracnose Disease of Avocado (Persea americana) in Türkiye

Abstract

Colletotrichum-induced anthracnose is a major disease of avocado (Persea americana), causing significant losses in production worldwide. In 2023, a survey of avocado fruits in markets within the Kızıltepe district of Mardin, Türkiye, revealed symptoms of anthracnose, characterized by brown-black lesions and internal necrosis. To identify the causal agent, 20 symptomatic avocado fruits were collected and fungal isolates resembling Colletotrichum species were obtained. Morphological characterization, multilocus sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), actin (act), the apn2-Mat1-2 intergenic spacer (ApMat), and calmodulin (cal) loci, and pathogenicity testing were performed for only two representative isolates (Pa01 and Pa02). These analyses identified the pathogen as Colletotrichum perseae. The isolates readily formed ascomata on all culture media tested, suggesting a high capacity for sexual reproduction. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that C. perseae caused characteristic dark, sunken anthracnose lesions on avocado fruits. This is the first report of C. perseae causing anthracnose in avocados in Türkiye, expanding the known geographical distribution of this pathogen. The findings highlight the need for effective disease management strategies and further research to understand the pathogen's lifecycle, environmental conditions favoring infection, and potential for seedborne transmission.