Juçara palm tree (Euterpe edulis) is one of the most important species in the Atlantic Forest. E. edulis is in the list of endangered forest species. Anthracnose, caused by C. gloeosporioides, is the major disease of juçara fruit. This pathogen affects seed germination and can cause total loss of fruit pulp production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of temperature on the development of four Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolates from juçara fruits. The isolates were obtained from diseased fruits from the region of Paraty-Rio de Janeiro State and Ubatuba-São Paulo State, Brazil. From C. gloeosporioides monosporic isolates, 7mm-diameter mycelial discs were transferred to Petri dishes containing PDA medium and subjected to the temperatures of 20º, 25º, 28º, 32º and 35ºC for seven days at 12-h photoperiod in a BOD chamber. The following variables were evaluated: mycelial growth by daily measuring the orthogonal plate, conidial production and germination at seven days of age (inoculation). The highest C. gloeosporioides mycelial growth rate occurred at 28ºC, followed by 25ºC. Conidial production was higher at 28ºC, then at 30ºC. Conidial germination was higher at 28ºC, reaching 84% to 87%. It was concluded that the mycelial growth and the conidial production and germination for C. gloeosporioides isolates is high at the temperature of 28ºC.
Anthracnose; Acai Palm; heart of palm; Atlantic Forest; in vitro multiplication
