Colletotrichum nymphaeae cross-infection and reaction of pecan cultivars

Abstract

Juglans regia and Carya illinoinensis, both from the Juglandaceae family, are species known worldwide for the production of edible nuts, with an increasing expansion of the cultivated area in South America. However, in recent years there was an increase in the incidence of diseases in the species, which compromises the profitability of crops and the nut quality. Colletotrichum nymphaeae was recently identified in Brazil causing damage to fruits of Juglans regia. This study aimed to evaluate the potential for cross-infection of Colletotrichum nymphaeae, isolated from symptomatic fruits of Juglans regia, on leaves and fruits of Carya. illinoinensis cultivars. Disks of culture medium containing structures of the pathogen were deposited on leaflets and fruits of six and three cultivars of Carya illinoinensis, respectively. Colletotrichum nymphaeae was found to be pathogenic both in leaflets and in fruits of all the cultivars evaluated, with the largest lesions in leaflets observed in the cultivars ‘Barton’, ‘Melhorada’ and ‘Imperial’, while the cultivar ‘Shawnee’ demonstrated less susceptibility to the pathogen. In the fruits, ‘Imperial’cultivar was more susceptible to the pathogen, since it presented the largest lesions.

Keywords:
Cross pathogenicity; Anthracnose; Juglans regia; Carya illinoinensis; Juglandaceae