Anthracnose is among the major strawberry (Fragaria X ananassa) diseases and may be associated with more than one Colletotrichum species. The objective of this work was to determine the pathogenic characterization of Colletotrichum acutatum and C. fragariae on fruits, petioles, crown and flowers, by artificial inoculation of several strawberry cultivars. The highest lesions on fruits were caused by C. acutatum but on petioles and crowns C. fragariae was more pathogenic. Among the evaluated cultivars 'Reiko' was very susceptible to petiole lesions while 'IAC-Princesa Isabel', 'Sequoia', 'IAC-Guarani' and 'Chandler' were more resistant. The symptoms of crown rot were less severe on 'IAC-Princesa Isabel' and 'Sequoia', and the pathogenicity of C. acutatum and C. fragariae was similar only for these two cultivars; for all others, C. fragariae was more pathogenic. Nevertheless, the greatest severity of symptoms on flowers of the tested cultivars was observed when C. acutatum was inoculated, except for 'IAC-Princesa-Isabel', in which both pathogens showed the same degree of pathogenicity. The results confirmed to verify that there is higher pathogenic specialization of C. acutatum to fruits and flowers, and of C. fragariae to petioles and crowns. However, according the interactions with the cultivars, the pathogens showed pathogenic variation and may incite symptoms of similar disease severity degree on the same plant organ.
