Ecofriendly management of anthracnose on avocado caused by Colletotrichum perseae in the Mediterranean basin

Background Colletotrichum perseae , recently reported in Europe, causes stem and twig lesions and dieback, and fruit rot on avocado in several countries. Due to EU severe restrictions, there is an urgent need for sustainable alternatives to fungicides. This study aims to evaluate the preventative activity of trade bioformulates against C. perseae across detached twig, greenhouse pot‐plant grown, and postharvest fruit experiments. Results All biological treatments have significantly managed twig anthracnose infections ranging by 37%–91% reductions. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713, chitosan, Trichoderma gamsii + Trichoderma asperellum mixture, and Equisetum arvense based bioformulates showed a similar efficacy of the standard fungicide (pyraclostrobin) whilst sweet orange essential oils were less effective. In potted plants grown in greenhouse, T. asperellum T34 followed by T. gamsii + T. asperellum mixture bioformulates revealed the most effective in reducing internal lesions caused by C. perseae . On the other hand, bioformulate containing B. amyloliquefaciens D747 revealed the most effective treatment in minimizing C. perseae anthracnose lesions under post‐harvest conditions. Conclusion The paper clearly showed that some trade bioformulates could represent a highly effective, environmentally friendly option for managing C. perseae of avocado. The implementation of such an approach should be imperative for developing performant strategies for other avocado diseases. This process should begin with preventive applications of Trichoderma species as T34 in nursery and preserve the health in postharvest by using B. amyloliquefaciens strains‐based formulates. Indeed, the strategic adoption of these trade bioalternatives provides a concrete pathway to replace chemical fungicides.