Advances in Functional Genomics Research on Appressorium Formation in <i>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</i>

ABSTRACT Colletotrichum gloeosporioides , which is an important plant pathogen infecting gramineous and woody plant species, is common in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Appressorium formation is a key step during the infection of plant hosts by C . gloeosporioides . Thus, inhibiting this step has become a primary goal of researchers attempting to develop improved methods for preventing and controlling anthracnose and related fungal diseases of plants. This review summarises the recent advances in functional genomics research related to appressorium formation in C . gloeosporioides , with a particular focus on mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling pathways, the cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase A signalling pathway and metabolic pathways. The elucidation of pathogenicity‐related mechanisms in C . gloeosporioides may result in new disease prevention and control measures involving novel fungicides and molecular breeding using candidate target genes.