DEVELOPMENT OF Colletotrichum gloeosporioides ISOLATED FROM GREEN PEPPER IN DIFFERENT CULTURE MEDIA, TEMPERATURES, AND LIGHT REGIMES

Control of anthracnose in green pepper involves the use of resistant varieties and/or fungicides. The selection of varieties and efficient products demands great amounts of conidia as inoculum. It is thus necessary to optimize the production of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides conidia in the laboratory, establishing the best conditions for fungus development. The present study aimed at determining the most favorable culture media, temperature, and light conditions for the production of fungus inoculum. The fungus was isolated from green pepper fruits (Capsicum annuum L.) and transferred to four culture media (PDA, oat, filtered pepper extract, and autoclaved pepper extract), under different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35C) and light conditions (24h dark, and 24h light). Colony growth was evaluated after 7 and 12 days of incubation. No differences were found between the culture media. However, the greatest number of conidia was obtained from colonies grown in oat medium at 25oC. Temperatures of 20 and 25oC were the most favorable for colony growth and sporulation. Higher sporulation was obtained under incubation in constant light. Cultivation of C. gloeosporioides in oat medium, at 25oC, and constant light is recommended.