Diseases

Alfalfa Anthracnose

Medicago sativa L.

A fungal disease of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), primarily caused by the pathogen Colletotrichum trifolii, affecting stems and the crown.

In the reference 57 varieties crop Alfalfa, where this is mentioned in the description.

The primary causal agent of alfalfa anthracnose is the fungus Colletotrichum trifolii, although other species of the genus, including C. destructivum and C. truncatum, may also be involved in disease development. The pathogen is characterized by the presence of at least five genetic races, which must be taken into account when selecting resistant cultivars for specific regions.

Symptoms appear as sunken lesions on the stems, often leading to a characteristic shepherd's crook bending followed by stem breakage. Under high humidity, acervuli with dark setae develop on the affected areas. Infection penetrating the crown causes tissue necrosis in the form of blue-black rot, which reduces winter hardiness and leads to plant death.

Breeding for resistance to anthracnose in alfalfa is based on creating populations with complex resistance to known races of the pathogen. The use of individual resistance genes in widespread practice is limited due to the dynamic nature of the pathogen's variability.

General information about the subject — on the page Anthracnose.

Sources8

Varieties of Alfalfa mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.