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Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

Eggplant anthracnose (390)

Photo 1. Anthracnose fruit spots, Colletotrichum species - young individual light-brown spots (above), multiple merging spots below.

Photo 2. Anthracnose spots of eggplant, Colletotrichum species, elongated along the length of the fruit.

Photo 3. Anthracnose of eggplant, Colletotrichum species, showing the large spots at the base of the fruit furthest from the flower stalk.

Photo 4. Sunken spots on eggplant, Colletotrichum species, showing black spore-bearing fruiting bodies in circular bands.

Photo 5. Anthracnose spots, Colletotrichum species, on eggplant, showing concentric circles.

Summary

Worldwide distribution. Two species: Colletotrichum capsici from Cook Islands, Fiji, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa. Solomon Islands, Tonga; Colletotrichum gloeosporioides most Pacific island countries. Cause fruit rots, leaf and flower spots and blights. Major problem on eggplant, chili and capsicum.
Damage: multiple light-brown spots merging to form large, raised, warty, brown patches with concentric rings, especially at base of fruit, becoming sunken and developing masses of black fruiting bodies.
Spread: spread in wind-driven rain, possibly by insects and tools. Long distance spread in or on seed and weeds.
Cultural control: in nursery - disease-free seed (if unsure, treat 50°C for 30 mins); check each seedling; in field - 3-year rotation; weed; avoid overhead irrigation; collect crop debris and burn at harvest.
Chemical control: use i) protectants, e.g., mancozeb, copper products or chlorothalonil, or ii) systemics, e.g., triazoles or strobilurins.

Common Name

Eggplant anthracnose, eggplant fruit rot

Scientific Name

Colletotrichum species, particularly, Colletotrichum capsici, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. The sexual state is Glomerella cingulata (see Fact Sheet no. 177).

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson & Unaisi Turaganivalu
¹McKenzie E (2012) Pathogen Identification Manual 3: Export Commodities. Ministry of Primary Industries and Landcare Research New Zealand Limited.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project HORT/2016/18: Responding to emerging pest and disease threats to horticulture in the Pacific islands, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Pacific Community.

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