Identification of anthracnose pathogen in tea plant

ObjectiveThe present study investigated the species of anthracnose pathogen of tea plant in Fuzhou, Fu-jian, in order to provide scientific basis for controlling anthracnose and breeding disease-resistant varieties. MethodThe researchers combined morphology and multiple gene phylogenetic analysis based on gene sequences of glutamine synthetase (GS), β-tubulin (β-TUB2), ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS) and ribosomal RNA large subunit (LSU) to identify anthracnose pathogen(FFB, FJG, FRG, FSX and FFA) isolated from typical diseased tea tree leaves of different varieties planted in various tea gardens in Fuzhou. Koch's postulation was applied to identify pathogenicity of the strains. ResultThe five strains could infected tea tree leaves through wound, and the symptoms were similar. They were pathogenic bacteria of anthracnose. The isolates of the five strains shared similar morphological characteristics. They were identified as Colletotrichum siamense based on multiple gene phylogenetic analysis and morphology. ConclusionC. siamense is weak anthracnose pathogen of tea plant and mainly infect tea plant through wound. Therefore, during plant-ing, leaves injury caused by human activity should be avoided to reduce incidence of anthracnose.