Infection of Blueberry Fruit by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. M. E. Daykin, Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695. R. D. Milholland, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695. Plant Dis. 68:948-950. Accepted for publication 12 July 1984. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-948.

Blueberry fruit were susceptible to infection by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides at all stages of development but did not show symptoms until ripening. The infection process, spore germination, appressorium formation, and penetration occurred within 1 wk of inoculation of green fruit, but the fungus did not develop further until the fruit ripened. In a survey of anthracnose fruit rot on ripe fruit of eight blueberry cultivars, Powderblue and Morrow were the most resistant, whereas Jersey, Harrison, and Blueray were the most susceptible.