Isolates of Colletotrichum sp. obtained from leaves of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) showing symptoms of anthracnosis from several regions of Brazil were characterized and identified based on their phenotypic traits. A total of 17 isolates collected from the states of Acre and Rondônia, where the peach palm is originated as well as from Southern States such as Espirito Santo, São Paulo and Paraná, where peach palm has been introduced for the production of palm heart, were studied. Disease symptoms were characterized and the isolates were compared based on form and size of conidia and apressoria, color of the colony, mycelial growth and sporulation in vitro. The pathogenicity of all isolates was confirmed based on a detached leaf of peach palm assay. All isolates were characterized as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and the occurrence of the meiosporic stage (Glomerella cingulata) was observed only for one isolate.
Anthracnosis; Bactris gasipaes; Glomerella cingulata