Benomyl tolerance in Colletotrichum coffeanum, the cause of coffee berry disease

A benomyl resistant strain (R subindice 1) of Colletotrichum coffeanum was isolated from infected berries years. In vitro, mycelial growth of the resistant isolate was less inhibited on agar medium containing 1,000 ¿g/ml Benlate. Mycelial growth of the sensitive (S subindice 1) isolate of C. coffeanum was inhibited on agar medium containing 4 ¿g/ml Benlate. Conidia of the benomyl resistant isolate gave high levels of germination with various concentrations of Benlate in distilled water compared with the conidia of sensitive isolate. Conidia of the benomyl resistant isolate, harvested from agar media infused with different concentrations of Benlate, did not lose their viability and were able to germinate in distilled water. Various concentrations of Benlate failed to prevent infection of punctured green berries by the conidia of both benomyl resistant and sensitive isolates at 15 and 20{eth}C