Abstract:
Anthracnose disease surveys were conducted in 25 farmers’
orchards, wholesaler and retailer shops in south-west Ethiopia.
In addition, harvesting and postharvest practices, and storage
conditions influencing disease development were studied
with observation and questionnaire. The assessment results
indicated significant variation among farmers’ orchards with
the highest incidence (84.0 ± 16.7%) and severity index
(26.0 ± 5.4%). Anthracnose damage of fruit was higher
at retailers (76.7 ± 20.8%) than in the wholesalers shop
(56.7 ± 32.5%). The total number of isolates identified was
249 and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides was the predominant
pathogen proved by pathogenecity test. Among the major
factors, harvesting avocado fruits with children (88%) and
climbing on the tree (72%) resulted in fruit dropping that
caused substantial injury and bruise. Generally, anthracnose
caused by C. gloeosporioides of avocado fruit was prevalent in
producer orchards that aggravated by traditional harvest and
postharvest practices coupled to inadequate transportation
and storage facilities at wholesaler and retailer shops with
subsequent decay and loss of avocado fruits.
