COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THREE COLLETOTRICHUM CAPSICI ISOLATES CAUSING ANTHRACNOSE DISEASE OF PIPER BETLE, VIGNA UNGUICULATA AND PHASEOLUS VULGARIS

The morphological characterisation of 3 isolates of Colletotrichum capsici, from betel vine (Piper betle), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) were compared. The conidial shapes of the 3 isolates were similar, being falcate with an acute apex and a truncate base but the sizes were significantly different. Coriidia of all isolates started to germinate after 3 hours. Upon germination they became septate and produced short germ tubes. Two kinds of appressoria were observed. Acervuli of the 3 isolates differ from one another. Although all 3 isolates produce setae in culture, their abundance, size and septation varied with the isolates. Microcyclic conidiation was observed in 2 out of the 3 isolates (LARS LARS 79 and LARS LARS 141). Sporulation of the 3 isolates was best on PDA followed by MM and CMA respectively. There were significant differences in the growth rate among the isolates on each of the media used.