ProMED
http://www.promedmail.org

Source: Jamaica Gleaner [summ. Mod.DHA, edited]
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/caribbean/20240531/st-kitts-facing-disease-outbreak-mango-trees

Agricultural officials in St Kitts say they are closely monitoring the outbreak of a disease affecting mango trees on the twin islands. Plant health experts are working to diagnose the disease. Symptoms appear consistent with anthracnose.

However, the exact cause of the disease is currently unknown. Initial assessments suggest that the disease may be caused by a combination of environmental factors, pathogens and possibly new strains of pests.

Farmers are urged to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases to their local agricultural authorities for further investigation. Upon confirming the disease, the unit will implement a comprehensive treatment plan to address the outbreak, involving a multi-pronged approach.
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Communicated by:
ProMED
[Anthracnose is considered the most important disease of mango. It is caused by the fungi _Colletotrichum gloeosporioides_ or _C. acutatum_. Symptoms may include flower blight, pre- and post-harvest fruit rot, twig dieback, and leaf spots. Anthracnose can completely destroy the flowers and cause extensive dead areas on leaves, greatly reducing tree vigour and yield. The fungi apparently invade the skin of young fruit and remain in a latent state until fruit ripening begins. Ripe fruit, either before or after picking, can then develop prominent dark-brown to black spots. Fruit infection commonly occurs and can result in extensive rotting.

The fungi have a long saprophytic survival ability on dead twigs and fallen leaves. These are the main sources of inoculum. Spread may occur with infected plant material, by mechanical means (including insect activities) and through water splash. The disease is favoured by humid conditions during the period from the onset of flowering until fruit are about half size. Control of anthracnose in mango usually centres on a diligent fungicide programme; it may also include phytosanitation to reduce inoculum, as well as cultural measures to reduce moisture in the orchard. More Indo-Chinese/Philippine type mango varieties show levels of resistance to anthracnose than Indian type varieties.

Fungi in the genus _Colletotrichum_ have been reported to cause anthracnose-like symptoms on many crops.

Pictures
Mango anthracnose symptoms on
- fruit:
https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/uhmg/FAQ/FAQ-img/anthracnose-mango-WN.jpg,
https://barmac.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/01/Anthracnose-Mango.jpg,
https://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/2003/08/20/Thaumaturgist/256453.jpg,
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2181/13021759075_ecb5be0757_b.jpg and
http://docsdrive.com/images/ansinet/ppj/2014/fig2-2k14-268-277.jpg (scale of disease severity)
- leaves, flowers, inflorescence:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8221/8291015097_2aedd367af_b.jpg,
https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5540/9540312937_b354a55b92_b.jpg,
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Mango_anthracnose_1a.jpg and
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQXiCoc7qYM/VT2mQUmAhjI/AAAAAAAABG4/T6F3YijIOSg/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/mango_anthracnose_inflorescence_1.jpg
Mango anthracnose photo gallery via:
https://www.growables.org/information/TropicalFruit/mangocommondiseases.htm

Links
Mango anthracnose, disease information:
https://apps.lucidcentral.org/pppw_v10/text/web_full/entities/mango_anthracnose_009.htm,
https://dpir.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/233591/604.pdf,
http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/125876/mango-anthracnose-pf19.pdf,
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/pd-48.pdf and via
http://www.horticultureworld.net/mango-india2.htm
_C. gloeosporioides_ taxonomy & synonyms:
https://www.indexfungorum.org/names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=158410 and
https://www.speciesfungorum.org/GSD/GSDspecies.asp?RecordID=158410
_C. acutatum_ taxonomy & synonyms:
https://www.indexfungorum.org/names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=440865 and
https://www.speciesfungorum.org/GSD/GSDspecies.asp?RecordID=440865
Mango types and varieties:
http://www.horticultureworld.net/cultivars.htm
- Mod.DHA