Identification Symptoms
- Leaf - common symptoms are a more or less circular, flat area,
light tan in color with a prominent purple margin that at a later phase of
infection will show the fruiting bodies of the fungus (tiny dispersed
black flecks).
- Tissues injured by various environmental factors (such as mesophyll
collapse or heavy infestations of spider mites) are more susceptible to
anthracnose colonization.
- Fruit - anthracnose usually only occurs on fruit that have been
injured by other agents, such as sunburn, chemical burn, pest damage,
bruising, or extended storage periods. The lesions are brown to black
spots of 1.5 mm or greater diameter. The decay is usually firm and dry but
if deep enough can soften the fruit. If kept under humid conditions, the
spore masses are pink to salmon, but if kept dry, the spores appear brown
to black. On ethylene degreened fruit, lesions are flat and silver in
color with a leathery texture. On degreened fruit, much of the rind is
affected. The lesions will eventually become brown to grey black leading
to soft rot.