Morphological, Pathological and Genetic Diversity of the <i>Colletotrichum</i> Species, Pathogenic on Solanaceous Vegetable Crops in Bulgaria

oleh: Vasilissa Manova, Zornitsa Stoyanova, Rossitza Rodeva, Irina Boycheva, Helena Korpelainen, Eero Vesterinen, Helena Wirta, Georgi Bonchev

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2022-10-01

Deskripsi

<i>Colletotrichum</i> species are among the most devastating plant pathogens in a wide range of hosts. Their accurate identification requires a polyphasic approach, including geographical, ecological, morphological, and genetic data. Solanaceous crops are of significant economic importance for Bulgarian agriculture. <i>Colletotrichum</i>-associated diseases pose a serious threat to the yield and quality of production but are still largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize 26 pathogenic <i>Colletotrichum</i> isolates that threaten solanaceous crops based on morphological, pathogenic, and molecular data. DNA barcodes enabled the discrimination of three main taxonomic groups: <i>C.</i> <i>acutatum</i>, <i>C.</i> <i>gloeosporioides</i>, and <i>C.</i> <i>coccodes</i>. Three different species of acutatum complex (<i>C. nymphaeae</i>, <i>C. godetiae</i>, and <i>C. salicis</i>) and <i>C. cigarro</i> of the gloeosporioides complex were associated with fruit anthracnose in peppers and tomatoes. The <i>C. coccodes</i> group was divided in two clades: <i>C. nigrum</i>, isolated predominantly from fruits, and <i>C. coccodes</i>, isolated mainly from roots. Only <i>C. salicis</i> and <i>C. cigarro</i> produced sexual morphs. The species <i>C. godetiae</i>, <i>C. salicis</i>, and <i>C. cigarro</i> have not previously been reported in Bulgaria. Our results enrich the knowledge of the biodiversity and specific features of <i>Colletotrichum</i> species, which are pathogenic to solanaceous hosts, and may serve as a scientific platform for efficient disease control and resistance breeding.