Evaluation of tolerance to vegetative antracnosis of new mango germplasms in Mexico

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.) is one of the most important diseases of mango (Mangifera indica L.) due to its wide distribution in the world and to induce severe epidemics in the vegetative and reproductive stages, causing important production losses. The objective of this research was to evaluate the tolerance to C. gloeosporioides infection in the vegetative stage of eleven new mango cultivars in Mexico with potential in the export market. Leaves of 15 days old of development were inoculated with the Gro isolate highlighted in virulence. Based on the incubation, period, incidence and severity, "Alphonse", "Neelum", "Kesar and Ivory" cultivars were low susceptibility, "Nam Doc Mai", "Rosygold", "Cotaxtla" were highly susceptible, and "Fairchild", "Ataúlfo Diamante", "Ataúlfo Zafiro" and "Mallika" had medium susceptibility. The longer incubation periods determined the lowest severity (r²=-0.89 and-0.90) and incidence (r²=-0.77 and-0.85). The incidence correlated positively with severity (r2= 0.86 and 0.92), both inoculation techniques (DLT and ALT) were useful to induce typical symptoms of anthracnose and to estimate the expression of virulence (incubation period, incidence and severity) of the pathogen.