Efficacy of chitosan biopolymer against postharvest anthracnose pathogen (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. and Sacc.) infecting mango under in vitro conditions
Abstract
Postharvest anthracnose represents a major destructive disease of mango, causing appreciable economic loss, particularly in tropical regions. The current study focused on identifying the pathogen responsible for mango anthracnose and evaluate how varying concentrations of chitosan influence the fungal development and spore germination. The fungus, isolated from infected mango fruits, was confirmed as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides through detailed cultural, morphological, and molecular characterisation. It produced hyaline, septate, branched mycelia, and cylindrical conidia with round ends. Chitosan was tested at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 per cent against the pathogen under in vitro conditions. A marked reduction in the fungal radial growth was noted across all the concentrations tested. The highest concentration (2.0%) inhibited growth by 58.8 per cent at the eighth day of incubation, which was statistically on par to inhibition at 1.0 per cent (58.1%) and 1.5 per cent (58.46%), respectively. Spore germination assay conducted at in vitro conditions with 2.0, 1.5 and 1.0 per cent concentrations of the biopolymer recorded cent per cent inhibition of the pathogen. Germination of 30.86 per cent was observed only at the lowest concentration (0.1%) whereas control treatment with steriledistilled water recorded 76.42 per cent germination of viable spores.
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