ABSTRACT The Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) and bitter rot (BR) are important apple diseases in Brazil, caused by species of Colletotrichum, which are usually related with quiescent infection. This study aimed to detect quiescent infections of Colletotrichum spp. in flowers and in unripe fruits from apple commercial orchard cultivars Eva and Gala. The pathogen was observed in various structures of the flower in both cultivars. In unripe fruits, the pathogen was recovered only from ‘Eva’. Five isolates were obtained and were inoculated by mycelial (with and without wound) on ripe apple fruits and by conidia suspension (without wound) on ripe apple fruits and leaves of ‘Gala’. On inoculated fruits by mycelial, the isolates induced symptoms of BR, and on inoculated fruits by conidia without wound the isolates induced symptoms of GLS. On inoculated leaves, isolates induced symptoms of GLS. The isolates were characterized by cultural, morphological and pathogenic aspects. Detection of Colletotrichum spp. in asymptomatic apple flowers is epidemiologically important, since the flowers can be a route for infection in unripe fruits. This is the first investigation of quiescent infection of this pathogen on apple flowers.

RESUMO: Várias doenças podem estar associadas com figos, mas recentemente uma podridão dos frutos foi observada em frutos verdes. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a patogenicidade de Botrytis sp., quantificar o período de incubação (PI) e o período de latência (PL), verificar a temperatura ótima para o crescimento micelial e identificar as diferentes espécies de Botrytis sp. isoladas a partir de frutos imaturos de figo. Botrytis sp. isolado a partir de figos provou ser patogênico em frutos imaturos com e sem ferimento na superfície dos frutos e no ostíolo. O PI foi de 3 dias em frutos com ferimento e 5 dias em frutos inoculados no ostíolo e sem ferimento. O PL foi de 6 dias em todos os tratamentos. A temperatura ótima de crescimento micelial foi18°C. A partir de sequências de um segmento que compreende a região de ITS do DNA ribossomal, concluiu-se que os isolados são Botrytis cinerea.

ABSTRACT: Several diseases can be associated with figs but recently a fruit rot was observed in green fruit. The purpose of this study was to determine the pathogenicity of Botrytis sp., to quantify incubation period (IP) and latent period (LP), to verify the optimum temperature for mycelial growth, and to identify the different species of Botrytis sp. isolated from immature figs. Botrytis sp. isolated from figs proved to be pathogenic to immature fruit with and without wounding the fruit surface and ostiole. The IP period was 3 days on fruit with wounds and 5 days on fruit inoculated within the ostiole (without wound). The LP was 6 days in all treatments. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth was 18°C. Inferred from sequences of a segment comprising the ITS region of ribosomal DNA concluded that the isolates are Botrytis cinerea.

Antracnose do caqui tem sido uma grande preocupação para os produtores brasileiros. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar e caracterizar as espécies causadoras deantracnose avaliando as características morfológicas, moleculares e testes de patogenicidade. Cinco isolados, obtidosa partir de ramos e frutas doentes, foram identificados como Colletotrichum horii com base nascaracterísticas morfológicas e sequências de nucleotídeos da região ITS. Inoculações revelaram que os isolados causarammanchas necróticas seguido de desfolha, queima de ramos e gemas em plantas de caqui cultivadas emvaso.

Persimmon anthracnose has been a great concern to Brazilian producers. This study aimed to identify and characterized the causal species from Brazilian persimmons byassessing morphological and molecular characteristics and pathogenicity tests. Five fungal isolatesobtained from diseased twigs and fruits were identified as Colletotrichum horii, based on morphologicalcharacteristics and nucleotide sequences of ITS region. Inoculation tests revealed that the fungal isolates caused necrotic spots followed by defoliation of leaves, blight of twigs and buds of potted persimmon plants.