Occurrence of Anthracnose on Chinese Mallow Caused by Colletotrichum malvarum

Anthracnose symptoms were frequently observed on leaves, petioles, and stems of Chinese mallow grown in Namyangju, Korea, during a disease survey performed in November, 2007. The disease incidence was as high as 30% in the 12 greenhouses investigated. A total of 38 isolates of the Colletotrichum species were obtained from the anthracnose symptoms, and all the isolates were identified as Colletotrichum malvarum based on their morphological and culture characteristics. Three isolates of the fungus caused anthracnose symptoms on leaves and stems following artificial inoculation, which were similar to those observed during the greenhouse survey. In this study, mycological and pathological characteristics of C. malvarum identified as causing anthracnose of Chinese mallow were clarified.