New Bacterial Agents to Limit <i>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</i> Development on Mango

Mango anthracnose disease forms typical irregular-shaped black necrotic spots on the fruit peel of mature fruit and is caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. In order to improve the disease control with a limited use of fungicides, new microbial agents able to limit the growth of the pathogen were searched in the indigenous natural flora of mango surface. In order to find a suitable biocontrol agent, a screening was applied to 305 epiphytic bacteria isolated from the carposphere of 17 mango cultivars sampled from eight locations on Reunion Island. The screening approach involved a first step based on the ability of the isolates to form a biofilm, to grow under fruit storage conditions, and to interfere with the development of C. gloeosporioides. In a second step, the capability of selected isolates to limit C. gloeosporioides in vitro mycelial growth and conidia germination was assessed and species identified. The most effective bacteria belonged to the Enterobacter, Pantoea, Kosakonia and Leuconostoc genera, but for some of them, their safe use has to be demonstrated. Efficacy in vivo, performed on wounded mature mango fruit, was limited, probably because of the wounding inoculation strategy favoring the pathogen. Future biocontrol treatments should focus on preharvest applications to enhance the protective benefit.