Anthracnose: A Post-Harvest Disease of Mango

The Mango is severely affected with anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides belonging to order melanoconiales. C. gloeosporioides affects mango crop as the most threatening malady that results in huge economic losses up to about 30–60% damage that some times increased up to 100% in fruit produce under wet or very humid conditions. The optimum temperature for conidial germination and infection is around 25°C-30°C when free moisture is available. The anthracnose pathogen is found present on the host tissues as endophyte and remain, in quiescent stage but with the onset of moist and rainy season causes serious infection. C. gloeosporioides display a range of nutritional strategies and lifestyles, including plant associations that occupy a continuum from necrotrophy to hemibiotrophy and endophytism. During the anamorph (asexual) stage the pathogen is typically haploid and becomes diploid during transition towards teleomorph (sexual= Glomerulla) stage.