A new species of Colletotrichum from Cordyline fruticosa and Eugenia javanica causing anthracnose disease

A new species C. cordylinicola, isolated from Cordyline fruticosa, is characterized by morphological and molecular characters. The species would previously have been considered as a member of the Colletotrichum gloeosporioides complex. Combined six gene analysis using ACT, GS, TUB2, ITS, CAL and GPDH shows that three strains of C. cordylinicola clustered in a distinct lineage as a sister clade to C. kahawae. Other reference taxa employed in the analysis include type strains of C. asianum, C. fructicola, C. gloeosporioides, C. kahawae, C. siamense, C. simmondsii, and authentic strains of C. horii. This is the first report of a Colletotrichum species causing disease of Cordyline fruticosa in Thailand. Pathogenicity testing using the strains isolated from Cordyline fruticosa and Eugenia javanica showed that two strains isolated from different hosts may represent different pathotypes.