Anthracnose Disease of Jatropha curcas L. caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.–A new record from North–East India

P. Deka Bhuyan; P. Boruah

Volume : IV, Issue : III, March - 2015

Anthracnose Disease of Jatropha curcas L. caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.–A new record from North–East India

P. Deka Bhuyan, P. Boruah

Abstract :

Jatropha curcas L. ( family Euphorbiaceae) is an industrially important plant for the source of biodiesel. Anthracnose disease was first observed in J. curcasL during summer season in 2011 in the experimental farm of North East Institute of Science & Technology, Jorhat, Assam. Reddish own coloured, round to oval shaped spotted symptoms appeared on leaves and own coloured lesions (rots) in the fruits. Occurrence and spread of the disease was more pronounced during April – July in the summer, particularly in the rainy days. Causal organism was isolated from the affected tissues of both the leaves and fruits. Growth of the fungus on Potato Dextrose Agar medium appeared first as whitish mycelium and later turned into grey to grayish black. Conidia of the fungus were oblong to cylindrical, straight, hyaline, one celled with round ends and 6–14 x 3–6 �m in size. Seta was dark own and 24–45x 3–6 �m in size. On the basis of mycological characteristics and pathogenicity test, the fungus was identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.This may be claimed as the first record of anthracnose disease caused by C. gloeosporioides on J. curcas in Northeast India.