Pathogen Responsible
Microdochium panattonianum
Description and Sympotoms
Also known as shot hole or ring spot, Anthracnose initially causes small (less than 0.125 inch or 3 mm), water-soaked spots on outer leaves. Spots enlarge, turn yellow, and are usually irregular and angular in shape. Under cool, moist conditions, white to pink spore masses of the fungus will be visible in the center of the lesions. If disease is severe, the lesions will coalesce and cause significant dieback of the leaf and in some cases result in stunting of the plant. As spots age, the affected tissue will dry up and become papery in texture. Eventually the centers of these spots will fall out, resulting in the shot hole symptom.