The cultivation of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) for production of palm heart has increased in Southeast and Southern Brazil, in areas of domain of Atlantic Forest. Adult peach palm plants kept for seed production have suffered severe rot damages on fruits, resulting from coalescence of spots. The fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was isolated from the damaged tissues and its pathogenicity to peach palm fruits was confirmed under controlled conditions. This is the first report of this disease damaging peach palm fruits in the Minas Gerais and Parana States.
Bactris gasipaes; peach palm