Survival of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing anthracnose of mango at different depths and durations in soil

Survival of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz., & Sacc. the causal organism of anthracnose disease of mango was studied at the CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The naturally infected mango leaves collected from mango orchard were wrapped in synthetic nets and buried soil at different depths and durations under screen house conditions. The pathogen survived for seven month in soil as conidia or mycelium in infected debris under adverse conditions. As the depth and duration increased, there has been a decrease in viability of the fungus indicating its long survival on the soil surface only. The fungus could not survive at 5 cm depth after seven months of burial in comparison to 81.6 per cent survival at same depth after one month of burial. At 5 cm and 10 cm depth conidia or mycelium remained viable for five months at 2% urea concentration, however, fungus remained viable up to four months at 5% urea concentrations.