Phylogenetic and morphological identification of Colletotrichum godetiae, a novel pathogen causing anthracnose on loquat fruits (Eriobotrya japonica)

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) has potential to be produced in the central part of Mexico. During summer 2017, anthracnose symptoms were observed in Tetela, Morelos state, Mexico. A Colletotrichum species was constantly isolated from symptomatic fruit lesions. The internal transcribed spacer region and four housekeeping partial genes were sequenced, and our phylogenetic reconstruction revealed that the strains clustered with the Colletotrichum godetiae clade. Typical symptoms were reproducible in the pathogenicity test. Re-isolations were successfully performed and showed the same morphological and molecular characteristics. This is the first report of C. godetiae causing anthracnose on loquat fruits in Mexico and worldwide.