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Latent Infection in Avocado Fruit Due to Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. N. Binyamini, Plant Pathologist, Division of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Department of Botany, University of Tel Aviv, Israel; Mina Schiffmann-Nadel, Associate Professor in Plant Pathology, Division of Fruit Storage Research, The Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research, Bet Dagan, and Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot, Israel. Phytopathology 62:592-594. Accepted for publication 30 December 1971. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-62-592.

The presence of latent fungal infection in avocado fruit was demonstrated by anatomical studies of artificially inoculated fruit that revealed appressoria of the fungus on the fruit while still on the tree and after picking until softening, and by the appearance, during softening, of decay spots on fruit that had been inoculated as much as 3 months prior to harvest, but did not show any signs of rotting at harvest. The germ tube of the fungal spores penetrated the wax layer, forming appressoria. During fruit softening, the appressoria germinated and hyphae penetrated the peel and pulp of fruit. Latent infection can take place at any stage of fruit development. Wounds need not be present for infection to take place.