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Chilli anthracnose / fruit rot (Colletotrichum spp.)

Fruit rot or anthracnose of chilli is caused mainly by Colletotrichum capsici, with secondary contributions from C. truncatum and C. gloeosporioides. The disease is one of the largest single sources of yield loss in Indian chilli, estimated at around 29.5% (approximately US$ 491 million per year) and treated as the central target of the dry-pod-stage spray calendar.

Identification and symptoms

Small dark sunken circular lesions develop on ripening fruit and enlarge to bleach the pod to a straw colour. Heavily infected pods lose pungency and the seeds turn rusty. Concentric rings of acervuli are diagnostic.

Host crops / Life cycle

Causal species are Colletotrichum capsici, C. truncatum and C. gloeosporioides. The pathogen is seed-, soil- and air-borne and is favoured by warm humid post-fruit-set weather (around 28 deg C and relative humidity above 95%). All Indian chilli trade segments are susceptible, including Guntur Sannam (Chilli Guntur Sannam), Teja (Chilli Teja Segment) and Byadgi (Chilli Byadgi Segment).

Damage and economic impact

Estimated annual loss is around 29.5% of the Indian chilli crop, equivalent to approximately US$ 491 million.

Management (cultural, biological, chemical)

  • Seed treatment — thiram 2 kg/ha or zineb 2.5 kg/ha
  • Foliar sprays — TNAU recommends three captan 0.2% sprays starting at pre-flowering; difenoconazole at 0.025% recorded the lowest disease intensity in published Indian fungicide trials (21.13%)
  • Resistant donors — PBC 932, Breck-1/2 and BS-35
  • Integration with IPM — anthracnose sprays are placed in the second-flush window of the eight-spray IPM schedule (Practice Chilli Spray Schedule)
  • Post-harvest — prompt sun- or mechanical-drying (Practice Chilli Picking Drying) limits secondary infection of stored pods

Disease Chilli Dieback Anthracnose, Practice Chilli Spray Schedule, Practice Chilli Picking Drying, Chilli Guntur Sannam

References

  1. Chilli anthracnose. TNAU Agritech crop protection page.
  2. Chilli anthracnose: epidemiology and management. Frontiers in Microbiology, 2016.