Susceptibility of Italian olive cultivars to various <i>Colletotrichum</i> species associated with fruit anthracnose

Fruit anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum species is a major disease of olive (Olea europaea) worldwide. In this study, we tested in vitro the susceptibility eight widely grown Italian cultivars and one Spanish cultivar to five species. The were Carolea, Cassanese, Coratina, Dolce Agogia, Frantoio, Leccino, Ottobratica Sant'Agostino. cultivar, included as reference, was Picual. species, pathogenicity tests, C. acutatum, gloeosporioides, godetiae, karsti nymphaeae. Olive drupes at comparable ripening stage wound-inoculated with conidial suspension severity infections rated various time intervals after inoculation using scale 0 6. results expressed terms relative area under progress curve (rAUDPC). acutatum most aggressive while least among tested. Frantoio Leccino susceptible Ottobratica, Coratina Carolea all Separate experiments aimed evaluate effect both method drupe on interaction between cultivars. Only nymphaeae induced symptoms nonwounded drupes. general, green significantly lower than mature drupes; however, rankings for their showed similar trends.