First report of Colletotrichum fructicola, causing anthracnose of Hylocereus plants, in the Philippines.

Abstract

Cultivation of dragon fruit plants (Hylocereus spp.) in the Philippines has increased over the past years, and its diseases remain one of the major production challenges. In this study, a fungal pathogen, so far unknown in the country, was isolated from H. undatus from anthracnose-like lesion. Isolate MBDF0037C-1 was identified as Colletotrichum fructicola, based on combined morphological and molecular characterisation. This is the first record of C. fructicola causing anthracnose of dragon fruit plants in the Philippines. The isolate caused anthracnose to H. undatus and H. monacanthus, but not to H. megalanthus, in repeated in-vitro and in-vivo pathogenicity tests. Therefore, this study also highlights H. megalanthus as a potential source of resistance to anthracnose in dragon fruit breeding programmes.