Screening of Mango Varieties against Anthracnose Diseases Caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Its In vitro Management through Biocontrol Agents and Fungicides

Mango (Mangifera indica L.), known as the "King of Fruits," is a major fruit crop cultivated in India and worldwide. Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is a primary biotic stress affecting mango production, yield, and export quality in all mango-growing regions. This study evaluated the response of mango varieties to anthracnose and its management using effective fungicides and biocontrol agents. Ten C. gloeosporioides isolates were isolated from samples collected from the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts in Kerala. Among them, isolate C10 from Thiruvananthapuram was the most virulent. Among five local mango varieties (Kottukonam, Priyoor, Neelam, Rumani, and Totapuri) screened through artificial inoculation, Totapuri displayed the lowest disease severity (45.4%), followed by Neelam and Rumani, while Kottukonam exhibited the highest (72.33%). In vitro, the study of different biocontrol agents showed that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens VLY24 showed 37.08% inhibition against the pathogen, followed by 32.87% inhibition by Bacillus velezensis PSCE-10. Carbendazim 50% WP at 0.1% and 0.2% exhibited 100% mycelial growth suppression.