Diversity and Pathogenicity of Species Causing Coffee Anthracnose in China.

Coffee is a significant traded commodity for developing countries. Among the various diseases affecting coffee, anthracnose caused by spp. has re-emerged as a major constraint on global coffee production. To better understand the species complex associated with coffee anthracnose, we characterized spp. using a combination of phenotypic traits, (ApMat) gene analysis, multi-locus phylogenetic (, , , and ), and pathogenicity assays. A total of 74 isolates were collected from coffee plants exhibiting anthracnose symptoms across nine coffee plantations in China. Among these, 55 isolates were identified as the species complex using the locus, while the remaining 19 isolates were identified through multi-locus phylogenetic analyses. The isolates represented seven species from five species complexes: (including , , and ), (), (), (), and (). This is the first report of and causing coffee anthracnose worldwide, and the first report of in China. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all seven species were capable of infecting coffee leaves. This research enhances our understanding of the species responsible for coffee anthracnose, and provides valuable insights for developing effective disease management strategies.