First Report of Colletotrichum fioriniae and Colletotrichum godetiae causing anthracnose disease of Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) Fruit in New Zealand

Abstract

Anthracnose decay symptoms were observed on mature blueberry fruit sampled from retailers in Manawatū, New Zealand. To identify the causal agent, fungi were isolated from fruit lesions and initially subjected to morphological and phylogenetic characterisation. Based on these analyses, two species of the Colletotrichum genus, Colletotrichum fioriniae and Colletotrichum godetiae, were identified. Pathogenicity tests subsequently confirmed that these two species were responsible for causing the observed symptoms. This is the first report of Colletotrichum fioriniae and Colletotrichum godetiae causing anthracnose disease on mature blueberry fruit in New Zealand.