Colletotrichum

Colletotrichum is a genus of Coelomycetes fungi that ranks among the most destructive plant pathogens in the food supply. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose of tropical fruits such as mangoes and papayas — the sunken black lesions of post-harvest decay — while C. musae brings anthracnose and crown rot to bananas. Infections often start in the field and erupt after harvest, which is why packhouses combine orchard hygiene with post-harvest fungicides, hot-water treatment, and cold-chain discipline. For tropical fruit exporters, these fungi are a standing tax on every shipment.