ROLE OF CONIDIAL MATRIX OF COLLETOTRICHUM-ORBICULARE IN PATHOGENESIS OF XANTHIUM-SPINOSUM

The extracellular conidial matrix in Colletotrichum orbiculare inoculum hastened the onset of visual symptoms and the level of anthracnose development in Xanthium spinosum. The conidial matrix contained enzymes known to be involved in fungal penetration of plants — cellulase, non-specific esterase, invertase, pectinesterase and pectic lyase. The media on which C. orbiculare was grown were also found to affect its pathogenicity; furthermore there was a marked difference between the activities of the enzymes in the conidial matrix recovered from the different media. These results are discussed in terms of formulation of a mycoherbicide to control X. spinosum using C. orbiculare. © 1990, British Mycological Society. All rights reserved.