The anthracnose of the yam and management strategies: a review

Abstract

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is an edible tuber of economic importance in tropical regions, and a staple for more than 155 million people. Yam crop yields can be affected by devastating diseases such as anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.), which can cause up to 80% loss in endemic areas, if control measures are not implemented. The following article is aimed to review the research conducted on anthracnose in yam, its biology and epidemiology, symptomatology, etiology and different management strategies. Disease symptoms, biology and epidemiology of the causal agent, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, are described. Finally, the different management strategies such as genetic, cultural, biological and chemical control are presented. Integration of control methods should be used for disease management, starting with selection of fields with low amounts of primary inoculum, planting resistant or tolerant genotypes and using healthy asexual vegetative material protected with fungicides.

Keywords

• anthracnose
• biological control
• epidemiology
• fungicides
• genetic resistance