What is anthracnose?
It is a disease caused by fungi Collettorichum species. Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes, Colletotrichum siamense, Colletotrichum aenigma and Colletotrichum truncatum were reported to cause dragon fruit anthracnose.
Causal organism – Collettorichum species.
Symptoms–
- Infected cladodes showed reddish to dark-brown, sunken, water-soaked lesions, with chlorotic haloes which later converts to mature necrotic patches with prominent black spot.
- On fruits, small, light brown spots quickly turned to sunken water-soaked lesions with concentric rings of black spot.

Fig – Symptoms of anthracnose on cladode and fruit
Mode of spread-
- Dispersed by Rain splashes.
Reason of severity-
- The disease is more severe during high humidity months, high humidity, warm temperature and intermittent rain.
Management-
Cultural Practices | Chemical Control |
Prune and discard of infected cladodes. | Apply Copper fungicide on the pruned portion.Spraying Copper oxychloride @ 2g per liter Mancozeb 75% WP 2.5 g per literAzoxystrobin 18.2% w/w + Difenoconazole 11.4% w/w SC @ 1 ml per liter |