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ISSN 2224-6088 (Paper) ISSN 2225-0557 (Online)
Vol.48, 2016

Morphological Characteristics of Colletotrichum Species

Associated with Mango (Mangifera indica L.) in Southwest
Ethiopia
Amsalu Abera* Fikre Lemessa Girma Adunga
Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Department of Horticulture and Plant
Sciences, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

Abstract
Anthracnose of mango caused by Colletotrichum species is among the numerous diseases causing low production
and quality of mango fruit in Ethiopia. The objectives of this work were to identify and characterize Colletotrichum
species isolates responsible for anthracnose of mango in Southwest of Ethiopia. Samples of infected mango leaves,
panicles and immature fruits were collected from home gardens of nine districts in Southwestern part of Ethiopia.
Among them eight isolates of Colletotrichum species with distinct morphology on PDA were observed in each
group. Colony color, shape and diameter of every culture were recorded, conidial size and shapes were computed
from 20 conidia per isolate. The results showed that Colletotrichum species isolates were grouped into three
distinct morphological types: Colletotrichum gloeosporioide morph type I (37%) with hyaline cylindrical conidia
rounded both ends, Colletotrichum acutatum morphotype II (38%) conidia mass in the center and fusiform tapered
to a point in both ends, and Colletotrichum asianum morph type III (25%) cylindrical conidia with obtuse to
slightly rounded ends. The length of conidia ranged from 10.5-17.8 µm, width (3.22 to 6.9 µm). Among six media
tested, highest mean colony diameter of 51.9 mm was recorded on Potato dextrose agar and the lowest mean
mycelial growth of 18.4 mm was recorded on Tap water agar. All isolates had good sporulating capacity on general
media. Based on the results of this study, it could be concluded that C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum and C asianum
were found to be the major causal agents of mango anthracnose. Additional study on the epidemiology of
anthracnose of mango is needed for further disease management strategies.
Keywords: Anthracnose, Colletotrichum spp., identification, mango, epidemiology

INTRODUCTION
Mango (Mangifera indica L) is an important fruit crop in most tropical regions of the world and most consumed
in the developed countries (Diedhiou et al., 2007). The dietary contributions of mango fruit in the tropics rank
above that of citrus fruits. Mangoes account for approximately half of all tropical fruits produced worldwide
(Phoulivong et al., 2010).
The worldwide production of mango was estimated at nearly 39 million tons in 2009 (FAO, 2010). The
amount of mango production in Africa this year was 13.6 million tons (FAO, 2010) In Ethiopia mango is produced
mainly in western, Southwestern and eastern Regional States of the country : Oromia, Southern Nations
Nationalities, and People Region, Benishangul Gumz and Amhara Regional State (Yeshitela and Nessel, 2004;
Desta, 2005; Chala et al., 2014). The average production of mango in Ethiopia is estimated to be 11,446.2 ton per
annual (FAO, 2010), and its more area coverage is in the South-western Ethiopia. Mango production and supply
in Ethiopia is fluctuating, because of occurrence of diseases (Ayantu et al., 2014).
Mango is affected by a number of diseases at all stages of development, from seedling in the nursery to
the fruit in storage or transit (Ploetz, 2003; Prakash, 2004). Anthracnose is a major pre‐ and post‐harvest disease
of mango fruit, causing direct yield loss in the field, pack house, and market. The genus Colletotrichum is recently
designated as the world’s eighth most important group of plant pathogenic fungi based on perceived scientific and
economic importance (Hyde et al., 2009b; Phoulivong et al., 2010; Dean et al., 2012) which cause fruit damage
and production losses.
Colletotrichum affects the leaves, flowers, panicles, and fruits of mango trees causing anthracnose
worldwide. In areas where rain is prevalent during flowering and fruit set, anthracnose can cause destruction of
the inflorescences and infection and drop of young fruits where this can obviously lead to serious losses, reaching
up to 35% of the harvested fruits (Martinez et al., 2009).
Mango anthracnose is caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (teleomorph: Glomerella cingulata), but
in some cases C. acutatum (teleomorph: Glomerella acutatum) has also been reported as a cause of the disease
(Peres et al. 2005; Jayasinghe and Fernando, 2009; Phoulivong et al., 2010). Identification and characterization of
Colletotrichum species is based on morphological characters such as size and shape of conidia and appressoria,
existence of setae or presence of a teleomorph, and cultural characters such as colony color, growth rate and texture
(Smith and Black, 1990).
Even though mango fruit is economically and nutritional important in Ethiopia, information on
anthracnose disease of mango is scant. Pathogens infecting mango fruit in Ethiopia including the current study

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area have not yet been characterized, and not fully documented although diseases affecting the crop in the country
have been reported based mainly on field symptoms.
Thus, the importance of anthracnose on mango in Ethiopia dictates the need for investigation on the
identification and characterization of Colletotrichum isolates to provide useful information about Colletotrichum
isolates and suggest strategies to prevent and control pathogen. Thus, the aims of this study were to identify and
characterize Colletotrichum species associated with anthracnose symptoms on mango tissues found in the different
locations of Southwest Ethiopia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Descriptions of the study area
A study was carried out in Southwestern part of Ethiopia in different agro-ecological zones, during 2013-2014
cropping season. The study area is located at 70 12’N--90 6’N Latitude and 350 27’E--370 09’E longitude with
altitude ranging from 1000-2500m a.s.l.
Sampling methods: Samples of infected mango leaves, panicles and fruits were collected from mango home
gardens in nine districts and brought to the Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine,
plant pathology laboratory. At the laboratory, portions of peeled epicarp and flesh of the infected panicle, immature
fruit and leaves were removed at the point of progression of disease symptom; cut into small pieces and then
soaked in 70 per cent ethanol solution for 3 minutes, 2 percent sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for another 3 minutes,
then rinsed in two changes of sterile distill water. The parts were, dropped on sterile paper towels, allowed dried
before plating them onto Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and incubate for 5 days at room temperature; isolated
colonies were sub-cultured into fresh plates until pure cultures were obtained. Pure cultures obtained were
identified by visual examinations and viewing under stereo and compound light microscopes. They were described
and classified based on conidia and colony morphology as described by Dugan et al. (2006).
Identification of the pathogens
The pathogens were identified based on their cultural and morphological characters. A loop full of fungal culture
grown on PDA plates were taken on a glass slide and observed with image analyzer under 100 X magnifications
for the presence of conidia and conidiophores. After confirming the spores, the cultures were purified by single
spore isolation technique. The funguses were identified on the basis of morphological characteristics as suggested
by Agron, (2009) and Ellis (2009).
Following Sivakumar et al. (1997) method, suspension of conidia were prepared by suspending mycelia
scraped from seven days old of the eight most frequently recovered Colletotrichum spp isolate by separately
putting in 3-milliliter sterile distilled water and shaking vigorously for 3 minutes. The resulting suspensions were
filtered through 2-layer cheesecloth. The concentrations of spore suspension were adjusted to 106 spores or conidia
by using haemacytometer.
Maintenance of the culture: the fungus were sub- cultured on PDA slant and allowed to grow at 27 ± 1o C for 12
days. Such slants were preserved in refrigerator at 4o C and renewed once in a month. These pure cultures were
used for characterization.

Phenotypic characteristic of Colletotrichum species isolates.

Three mm plugs were aseptically punched from actively growing edge of a 5-day-old culture of these isolates.
Each plug was placed onto PDA Petri dishes and incubated after 7 days, colony size, shape, margin and color were
recorded. Colony color (mycelia) observed upper side and types of pigments from the reverse side of each
Colletotrichum spp isolates were determined on different media using RGB color chart (Anonymous, 2005).
Colony diameter of every culture was recorded daily for 7 days. Growth rate was calculated as the 7-day average
of mean daily growth (mm per day).
Three cultures plate of each isolate were investigated and experiments were conducted twice.
For examination of conidial morphology, all isolates were sub-cultured as mentioned above. Cultures
were washed with sterile water and drops of the suspension were placed on microscope slides and mixed with lacto
phenol/cotton blue to stain the conidia. Conidial size (length and width) were computed from 20 conidia per isolate.
Length and width of conidia were measured with ocular micrometer (µm), which were fitted into 10x eyepiece.
Colletotrichum spp. were classified in three classes, according to their morphology of conidia: 0 (conidia rounded
on both ends); 1 (1 round, 1 sharp ended conidia) and 2 (both end sharpened conidia) (Sutton, 1992).
Sporulation capacity ten days old cultures of each Colletotrichum spp. isolates, incubated on different
media were washed by flooding with 10 ml sterilized distilled water, rubbed with sterilized scalpel and transferred
to 50 ml sterilized beaker and thoroughly stirred for 10-15 minutes with magnetic stirrer to extract the spores from
the interwoven mycelia and then filtered into another sterilized beaker through double layer cheese clothes.

Cultural characters of the isolates of Colletotrichum spp. on different solid media

Different solid media mentioned below were used for assessing the growth of isolates of Colletotrichum spp. The

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mycelia diameters as well as morphological character of mycelia on different media were recorded.
Mango leaves extract agar (MLEA) Host leaves 200g, agar-agar 20 g and distilled water 1000 ml two
hundred grams of mango leaves were cut into small bits, boiled in 500 ml distilled water for 30 minutes and extract
were collected by filtering through cheesecloth. Agar-agar 20 g was dissolved in the leaves extract and the final
volume were made up to 1000 ml with distilled water and sterilized. Mango fruit extract agar (MFEA): Host fruit
200g, agar-agar 20g and distilled water 1000 ml, two hundred grams of mango fruit were cut into small bits, boiled
in 500 ml distilled water for 30 minutes and extract were collected by filtering through cheesecloth. Agar-Agar 20
g were dissolved in the leaf extract and the final volume were made up to 1000 ml with distilled water and sterilized.
Sabouraud dextrose agar, Dextrose (C6H12O6) 40 g, Peptone 10 g, Agar-agar 20 g, Distilled water 1000 ml all the
ingredients were dissolved one by one in 400 ml distilled water and agar were dissolved separately in 500 ml
distilled water and mixed with the above solution and the volume were made up to one litter and sterilized as
described earlier. Tap water agar (TWA) 1000ml with Agar-agar 20 g, and sterilized. Malt extract agar (MEA):
Malt extract: 25 g Agar- agar: 20 g Distilled water (to make up): 1000 ml Malt extract was dissolved in 400 ml of
distilled water. Agar- agar was melted separately in 400 ml of distilled water. Both solutions were mixed
thoroughly and final volume was made up to 1000 ml with distilled water and autoclaved.

Pathogenicity test
The isolates used in morphological characterization were selected for pathogenicity tests on detached fruits, and
leaves of mango, Preparation of hosts freshly harvested untreated, physiologically mature and unripe fruits was
collected from the mango field of Malkassa Agricultural Research Center variety Kent. The detached fruits and
leave were washed under running tap water for 60 seconds followed by surface sterilization by immersing the
fruits in 70% ethanol for 3 minutes, 2% sodium hypochlorite solution for 5 minutes and then rinsing three times
in sterile distilled water for 2 minutes and drying with sterile tissue paper and then air drying (Sanders and Korsten,
2003). Based on the morphological characterization, eight isolates were selected for inoculation on detached
mango fruit, and leaves. Surface sterilized fruits and leaves were placed in a plastic box with tissue paper then
sprayed with sterilized water to maintain at least 95% relative humidity (Than et al. 2008a). The samples were
inoculated using the wound/drop inoculation method (Lin et al. 2002) which included pin-pricking on leaves, the
fruits to a 3 mm depth with a sterile needle in the middle portion of fruit and then placing 20µl of conidia suspension
onto the wound (Freeman and Shabi 1996, Than et al. 2008a, b). Control fruits were inoculated with 20µl of sterile
distilled water. The inoculated samples were incubated in the plastic containers at 25°C under controlled conditions.
The plastic box removed after 48hr and fruits and leaves were kept at the same temperature. The causative
organisms in the diseased parts were re-isolated on potato dextrose agar as described in isolation of pathogen. The
characters of the re-isolated pathogens were compared with their original isolates.

Design and data analysis

The laboratory experimental units were three replicates and the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used.
The experiment was repeated twice. The generated data were analyzed using SAS version 9.2 software. Mean values
among treatments were compared by the LSD at α = 0.05% level of significance.

RESULTS
Phenotypic characteristics of Colletotrichum species isolates
The identified Colletotrichum species isolates were grouped into three morphological types Colletotrichum
gloeosporioide (morphotype I. isolate 1 to 3), Colletotrichum acutatum (morphotype II. isolate 4 to 6) and
Colletotrichum asianum (morph type III, isolate 7 and 8) based on colony and conidia shape attributes (Fig. 1).
Thirty seven percent of all isolates belonged to morphotype I, which had white gray-colored colonies with a dark
and gray conidial mass in the center. The results revealed that the isolates of Colletotrichum spp produced hyaline
cylindrical conidia. Isolates belonging to morphotype II were 38%) and had cream-to- white colored colonies with
a salmon - gray colored conidial mass in the center and fusiform tapered to a point in both ends (Fig. 1). Isolates
belonging to morphotype III (25%) had mint cream-to - light orange mycelia-colored colonies with reverse plate
having black to light gray-colored conidial mass in the center and cylindrical conidia with obtuse to slightly
rounded ends (Fig. 1).

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Figure 1. Colletotrichum species isolats were grouped in to three distinct morphological types: Colletotrichum
gloeosporioide (morphotypes-I. isolate 1 to 3), Colletotrichum acutatum (morphotype -II. isolate 4 to 6) and
Colletotrichum asianum (morpho types-III, isolats 7 and 8) based on colony and conidia characteristics: Plates in
column A) aerial view; B) reverse view; C) typical conidia shape in microscopic view and D) infected mango plant
organ from which Colletotrichum specices were isolated.
The length of conidia ranged from 10.5-17.8 µm. The highest length of conidia was observed in CAD-
FR and CBK-L isolates (17.8 and 17.84 µm) followed by CG-L isolate (17.17 µm) and the shortest conidia was
recorded in CMn-w isolates (10.5 µm).
Table.1 Colletotrichum spp isolates from different location of mango plant and their conidia characteristics
Isolate Conidia length Conidia width Conidia shape
max min mean max min mean
CGm-FR 13.4 11.6 12.3 4.83 3.91 4.42 cylindrical
CAD-FR 17.8 13.83 15.42 5.52 4.6 5.01 cylindrical
CBK-FR 13.6 10.7 12.37 5.75 2.99 4.47 cylindrical
CMn-w 10.5 7.81 9.91 6.9 2.76 4.04 fusiform
CBm-T 14.3 11.15 12.95 5.52 3.22 4.39 fusiform
CG-L 17.17 11.82 14.64 5.98 4.6 5.05 fusiform
CBK-L 17.84 12.04 14.72 6.9 4.6 5.28 Cylindrical/obtuse end
CSC 14.94 10.04 12.6 5.98 4.14 4.83 Cylindrical/obtuse end
Width of the conidia ranged from 3.22 to 6.9 µm. Isolate CBK-L and CMn-w recorded the highest width
of conidium (6.9 µm) and was followed by CSC, CG-L and CBK-FR with corresponding width of 5.98, 5.98 and
5.75 µm, respectively. Lowest width was observed in CBm-T isolate (3.22 µm) (Table 1).The colony diameter and
colony color were considered as growth characters. The results showed that all the six media tested supported the
mycelial growth of the isolates of Colletotrichom spp
The highest mean colony diameter of 51.9 mm was on Potato dextrose agar followed by mango fruit

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extract agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar and Malt extract agar with 41.1mm, 40mm, and 39.8mm, respectively. The
isolates CG-L, CBK-FR, CMn-w and CAD-FR, colony diameter on potato dextrose agar were 88mm, 72mm,
71mm and 60mm, respectively. Isolate CAD-FR had the highest colony diameter on mango fruit extract agar
(69mm) followed by potato dextrose agar (60mm) and malt extract agar (42mm) (Table 4).
Table.2 Cultural characteristics (colony color) of Colletotricum spp. isolates on different solid media
Isolate TWA SDA PDA MFEA MLEA MEA
CGm-FR light gray gray white gray light gray light gray gray
CAD-FR gray dark gray orange gray dim gray light gray pink orange
CBK-FR gray pink gray slight dark gray light gray gray
CMn-W light cream white white cream beige brown cream ring white
CBm-F cream light gold creamy cream gray gray
CG-L gray gray white light gray slight gray dark orange
CBK-L gray pink Mint cream light gray dark gray gray
CSC gray pink Light orange dim gray dark gray dark orange
Where, TWA= Tap water agar; SDA= Sabouraud dextrose agar; PDA= Potato dextrose agar; MLEA= Mango leaf
extract agar; MFEA= Mango fruit extract agar and MEA= Malt extract agar
All isolates had good sporulation on general media PDA followed by SDA and MEA. Isolate CSC had
medium sporulation capacity on the SDA and MEA. CBM-T isolate had good sporulation on all media except on
TWA whereas CMn-w isolate didn’t sporulate on the TWA and MFEA (Table 3).
Table.3. Sporulation capacity of Colletotrichum spp identified from mango plants on different solid media
Isolate TWA SDA PDA MFEA MLEA MEA
CGm-FR ** *** *** * ** ***
CAD-FR *** *** *** ** * ***
CBK-FR *** *** *** * *** ***
CMn-W _ *** *** _ *** ***
CBm-F _ *** *** *** *** ***
CG-L *** *** *** *** ** ***
CBK-L *** *** *** ** ** *
CSC _ ** *** ** * **
Where, TWA= Tap water agar; SDA= Sabouraud dextrose agar; PDA= Potato dextrose agar; MLEA= Mango leaf
extract agar; MFEA= Mango fruit extract agar and MEA= Malt extract agar

Figure 2. Mean mycelia growth of Colletotrichum species on different media. Where, TWA= Tap water agar;
SDA= Sabouraud dextrose agar; PDA= Potato dextrose agar; MLEA= Mango leaf extract agar; MFEA= Mango
fruit extract agar and MEA= Malt extract agar
There was a statistically significant difference in mycelia growth among the eight isolates
(p < 0.001) on different media. A lowest mean mycelia growth of 18.4 mm was recorded on TWA
followed by MFEA 25.3mm (Fig 2).

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Table 4. Effect of different solid media on the mycelia growth diameter (mm) of Colletotrichum spp isolates in
Southwest Ethiopia.
Isolate TWA SDA PDA MFEA MLEA MEA
CGm-FR 30 b 44 c 25 e 41 d 35 b 27 f
CAD-FR 16d 30f 60c 69a 16f 42c
CBK-FR 14e 34e 72b 45c 21.5e 34e
CMn-w 4.1g 64a 71b 3f 13.5g 61a
a d e e d
CBm-T 36 39 25 36 26.3 20f
c b a d a
CG-L 19 51 88 39 39.6 55b
c e f b c
CBK-L 19 33 17 50 29.6 33.3e
f g d b e
CSC 7 23 54 48 20.6 39d
LSD 1.4 2.9 1.9 1.9 1.6 1.8
CV% 4.5 2.6 2.1 2.6 3.7 2.6
Column means followed by the same letter are not significantly different. Where, TWA= Tap water agar;
agar; PDA= Potato dextrose agar; MEA= Malt extract MLEA= Mango leaf extract agar; MFEA= Mango fruit
extract agar and agar SDA= Sabouraud dextrose

Table 5. Growth rate (mm/day) of Colletotrichum spp on different solid media

Isolate TWA SDA PDA MFEA MLEA MEA
CGm-FR 4.3 b 6.3 c 3.6 e 5.8 d 5b 3.8 f
CAD-FR 2.2d 4.3 f 8.7 c 9.8 a 2.2 f 6c
e e b c e
CBK-FR 2 4.9 10.3 6.4 3 4.9 e
g a b f g
CMn-w 0.6 9.1 10.1 0.4 1.9 8.8 a
a d e e d
CBm-T 5.1 5.6 3.6 5.1 3.7 3.6 f
CG-L 2.8 c 7.3 b 12.6 a 5.6 d 5.6 a 7.8 b
CBK-L 2.8 c 4.8 e 2.5 f 7.1 b 4.2 c 4.8 e
f g d b e
CSC 1 3.2 7.5 6.9 2.9 5.5 d
LSD 0.2 0.27 0.28 0.28 0.23 0.25
CV% 4.4 2.7 2.1 2.7 3.7 2.6
Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different.
Where, TWA= Tap water agar; SDA=Sabouraud dextrose agar; PDA= Potato dextrose agar; MLEA= Mango leaf
extract agar; MFEA= Mango fruit extract agar and MEA= Malt extract agar Sabouraud dextrose agar; PDA=
Potato dextrose agar; MLEA= Mango leaf extract agar; MFEA= Mango fruit extract agar and MEA= Malt extract
agar
There was a statistically significant difference in growth rates among the eight isolates. Colletotrichum
spp isolate CG-L grew significantly faster (12.6 mm/day), followed by CBK-FR and CMn-T, 10.3mm/day and
10.1mm/day respectively (Table 5). In general media (PDA) and the lowest growth rate (0.6mm/day) was recorded
on CMn-w isolate on TWA media (Table.5).

Pathogenicity test
The results of the test revealed that all evaluated isolates caused typical anthracnose symptoms on the leaves,
mango cultivars tested on Kent varieties. The sides of the leaves that served as controls did not show any symptoms.
Some isolates were able to provoke extensive lesions on the leaves at inoculated points, whereas some isolates
infected only small area of the inoculated points. Nearly all of the isolates provoked extensive, black, round lesions
that were visible on both sides of the leaves. However, some isolates caused irregular, necrotic lesions surrounded
by black spots, indicating the growth region of the fungus in the leaves tissue.

Figure 3. Pathogenicity tests with Colletotrichum isolates on mango leaves variety Kent. After 10 days incubation
lesions caused by isolate 1) CGm-F, 2) CAd-F, 3) CBk-F, 4) CMn-w, 5) CBm-T 6) CGL, 7) CSC, and 8) CBL-L.
9) Controls. Isolate 1,2,and 3 characterized by large, rounded black spots, whereas the necrotic lesions caused by
isolate 4,5,and 6, 7 and 8 were surrounded by necrotic and black spots, indicating the region of growth of the

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fungus in the leaf tissue. Acervuli were observed on the necrotic tissues.

Figure 4. Pathogenicity tests Colletotrichum isolate collected from mango leaf, panicles and immature attached
fruit of southwest Ethiopia, inoculated on mango fruit variety Kent. 1) Inoculated detached mango fruit symptom
after five days incubation 2) Before inoculation.
Acervuli and conidia were observed in the necrotic areas of the leaves (Fig. 3). Colletotrichum isolate
inoculated on physiological mature unripe detached mango fruit were infected and lesion began as dark black
lesions with circular to irregular spot gray center were observed around the inoculation (Fig. 4) point three day
after inoculation.re-isolation of Colletotrichum isolates from inoculated fruits and leaves were consistence and
confirmed the pathogenic role of this organism.

DISCUSSION
Colletotrichum spp. are an important genus of plant pathogenic fungi that cause pre and post-harvest rots and
anthracnose on a wide range of fruit, vegetable and ornamental hosts, especially in subtropical and tropical regions
(Hyde et al. 2009a). Recent studies showed that Colletotrichum spp. were listed in the top 10 fungal pathogens of
scientific and economic importance (Dean et al., 2012; Damm et al., 2013). There are many accounts of
Colletotrichum spp surviving asymptomatically on plant surfaces (Leandro et al., 2002; Talhinhas et al., 2011).
Epiphytic and entophytic life phases and quiescent infection stages may precede a damaging necrotic phase in
which lesions develop (Cannon et al. 2012).
In this investigation differences in colony characters, growth rates and conidial shapes among the
Colletotrichum isolates made them to be separated into three morph type. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
produced dark grey colonies and formed typically cylindrical conidia with rounded ends on PDA. The other
colonies were white to orange in color, with slight shades of pink and light mouse grey with very thick cottony
aerial mycelium. On the reverse side, the centre was dark orange to pink, and the conidia produced were fusiform
tapered to a point in both ends. colony appearance had mint cream-to - light orange mycelia-colored colonies with
reverse plate having black to light gray-colored conidial mass in the center and cylindrical conidia with obtuse to
slightly rounded ends this identified as Colletotrichum asianum.
Our observations confirmed by Damm et al. (2012) reliable characteristics to distinguish between C.
acutatum and C. gloeosporioides typical fusiform conidia and many cylindrical ones. Similarly, Jayasinghe &
Fernando (2009) also reported for the first time the occurrence of C. acutatum on mango in Sri Lanka.
The present investigation revealed that the colony characters and growth of Colletotrichum isolates varied
on different media. This might be due to the variation in the nutritional requirement of the fungus. Our result was
in agreement with C. acutatum colony appearance described by Strandberg and Chellemi (2002) there was a wide
variation in the colony characters colour, topography, pigmentation, sporulation and mycelial growth of different
isolates even in the same media (Rani and Murthy, 2004). Fungi secure food and energy from the substrate upon
which they live in the nature. In order to culture the fungi in the laboratory, it is necessary to furnish those essential
elements and compounds in the medium which are required for their growth and other life process. Among Medias
fungal pathogen from mango plant result showed that better growth and sporulates on Potato dexterous agar (PDA),
Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), and Malt extract agar (MEA) respectively. Similar results were obtained by
(Sudhakar, 2000; Rain and Mutthy, 2004; Tasiwal and Benagi, 2009) and Amarjit singh et al. (2006) who observed
the maximum growth of C. gloeosporioides of Guava on PDA medium. Likewise, Jeyalakshmi and Seetharaman
(1999) and Patil and Moniz (1973) reported that PDA was the best media for the growth and sporulation of C.
capsici.
In the present study, the symptoms produced by the pathogen on artificial inoculation on the fruits were
similar to the symptoms observed under natural infection. The symptom appeared as black, sunken lesions were
distributed all over the outer part of the fruit. The fungus starts developing acervuli, with concentric rings and
sporulating with mass of pinkish conidia. Severely affected fruits become blackened and rot or shrivel and

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mummified. The symptoms observed under artificial conditions agreed with same type of natural symptom.
Similar symptom of anthracnose was also noticed on banana fruits with sunken lesions and covered with salmon
colored acervuli (Stover and Simmonds, 1987).
In this study, Colletotrichum spp isolates from infected mango tissue were identified as
C. gloeosporioides, C. acutatum, and C. asianum which demonstrate that in homestead orchard in Southwest
Ethiopia. Similar findings confirmed by other researchers (Cannon et al. 2000; Peres et al., 2002; Afanador-Kafuri
et al., 2003; Photita et al., 2005; Cai et al. 2009; Silva-Rojas and Avila-Quezada, 2011) who reported that C.
gloeosporioides is a common pathogen on a variety of tropical crops such as mango, avocado and papaya.
The results of the current study showed that there was no geographical specificity concerning colonies
color of Colletotrichum spp isolated from mango, and similar previous results were reported by different authors
(Rojas et al. 2010; Silva et al., 2012a, b). Jayasinghe and Fernando (2009) also reported the occurrence of
C. acutatum on mango. A result of this study confirms the result reported by Prihastuti et al. (2009) in Coffea
arabica from Thailand. C. asianum associated with the immature attached mango fruits in south west Ethiopia
(Amsalu, et al, unpublished data). Strains of Colletotrichum asianum infected Chili, mango and rose apple host
(Phoulivong et al, 2012). However, it is already known from Mangifera indica in Australia, Colombia, Japan,
Panama and the Philippines (Weir et al. 2012; Lima et al., 2013).
The results of this study showed different species of Colletotrichum isolates occur on the same host, and
this investigation was in agreement with the report of Sanders and Korsten, (2003), Prihastuti et al. (2009), Damm
et al. (2012a) report members of the C. acutatum and C. boninense species complexes, C. simmondsii, C. fioriniae,
and C. karstii, from mango from Australia (Prihastuti et al. 2009).
From results of the present study it can be concluded that, the information generated in this work is
relevant and can assist in the implementation of disease control and prevention measures more effectively. Further
study on molecular characterization and epidemiology of anthracnose of mango is vital for disease management
strategies.

Acknowledgment
We would like to thank Jimma University College of Agriculture and veterinary medicine for funding for this
work.

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