Kentucky Fruit Colletotrichum

Colletotrichum causes anthracnose fruit rots of apple, blueberry, and strawberry that can result in significant yield losses for growers. In Kentucky, mixed-fruit orchards containing all three fruits are common, which raises concerns about Colletotrichum cross-infection. Additionally, accurate Colletotrichum species identification is critical for management because species differ in fungicide sensitivity, aggressiveness, and host range. The goals of this study were to characterize the small fruit Colletotrichum species in Kentucky, evaluate the potential for cross-infection in mixed-fruit orchards, and investigate developing an improved sequence-based protocol for routine disease diagnosis.