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Catharanthus roseus is an important plant group used for landscaping purposes and is cultivated in several locations in Brazil. However, anthracnose is compromising its development. Despite the importance of the disease, it is not known which Colletotrichum species is responsible for causing anthracnose. This study aimed to identify Colletotrichum isolates associated with anthracnose of vinca. It evaluated morphological markers and performed multilocus phylogenetic analysis. According to the morphological analyses and multilocus phylogeny analysis of ACT , GAPDH, ITS , and TUB gene regions, we identified the isolates as Colletotrichum truncatum. This study is the first to report C. truncatum in C. roseus worldwide. • Anthracnose in flowers. • Colletotrichum truncatum etiological agent of anthracnose in Cataranthus roseus. • Colletotrichum truncatum aggressive pathogen on Cataranthus roseus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonies with similar morphological characteristics to the genus Nigrospora were isolated from stems and tubers of sweet potato plants showing characteristic symptoms of foot rot disease, collected in the agricultural region of Lagoa dos Gatos, Pernambuco, Brazil. The pathogenicity test was carried out by inoculating the isolates in sweet potato tubers (Co-Branca variety). The inoculated tubers showed symptoms similar to those of the foot rot observed in the field, producing brown lesions that turned black and yellowing of the leaves. After the colonies were re-isolated, the fungal structures were observed under a microscope for morphological characterization. Species recognition was carried out by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the translation elongation factor (TEF1-α) of the isolates, followed by phylogenetic comparison with sequences of recognized species. The phylogenetic analyses supported the identification of the isolates as Nigrospora vesicularifera , generating the first worldwide report of N. vesicularifera in sweet potato and the first record of this pathogen in a plant host in Brazil. • Identification of new causal agents of foot rot of sweet potato. • Symptomatology of foot rot of sweet potato. • Nigrospora vesicularifera is identified as another causal agent of foot rot of sweet potato. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]