Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Anthracnose Casued by Colletotrichum acutatum in Korea

Colletotrichum acutatum에 관한 의한 탄저병

A destructive anthracnose of safflower has severely occurred at Kyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extention Services in 1998. Incidence of the disease surveyed at 12 fields in Chinju, Sanchong and Hamyang was ranged fro 55.7 to 85.4%. Small irregular yellowish to brown spots appeared on all parts of the plant at initial infection stage and the spots enlarged or united into larger irregular to cylindrical black lesions with hollows. Above portions of infected stems were often blighted and pink colored conidial masses were colonized on the lesions. The causal fungus consistently isolated from the infected tissues were identified as Colletotrichum acutatum by following characteristics. The fungus grew well on PDA at 15~3$0^{\circ}C$ developing apricot to salmon color. Conidia were single-celled, colorless, fusiform and bisectioned and measured as 8~18$\times$3~5 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Brownish appressoria were cylindrical or ovate and sized as 5~10$\times$4~8 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$. Optimum temperature for growth and germination of conidia was recorded at $25^{\circ}C$ and at least 6 hours were required for infection to the host plants. Over 90% conidia were germinated and all plants were infected by artificial inoculation by 24 hours at $25^{\circ}C$. This is the first report of safflower anthracnose caused by C. acutatum in Korea.