Anthracnose, caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum, is a major disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) worldwide. C. lindemuthianum is genetically highly variable, and understanding the pathogen's diversity and distribution is a key step in developing common bean varieties with durable anthracnose resistance. The objectives of this study were to (i) characterize the race structure of C. lindemuthianum in Zambia and (ii) assess the molecular diversity of C. lindemuthianum in Zambia. A field survey was conducted in 20 bean-growing districts in Zambia to collect anthracnose symptomatic bean plants. A total of 103 C. lindemuthianum isolates were collected and characterized based on their reactions on 12 common bean race differential cultivars. RAM and ERIC-BOX DNA markers were used to assess molecular diversity of 60 isolates. A total of 58 races were characterized from the 103 isolates. Race 5 was the least virulent, and race 1631 was the most virulent based on their reaction on the 12 race differential cultivars. Race 19 had the highest recovery frequency (11%) and was the most extensively dispersed among the 22 bean-growing districts from where the isolates were collected. Only six races had previously been reported in Zambia, and 52 races were identified as new races reported for the first time in Zambia. Two races were virulent only on Andean cultivars, 11 races were virulent only on Middle American cultivars, and 45 races were virulent on both Andean and Middle American cultivars. No individual isolate showed pathogenicity on all the differential cultivars, and no isolate overcame the Co-4, Co-5, and Co-7 resistance gene pyramid that naturally exists in G2333. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the 60 isolates in six major clusters and six subclusters. The 60 isolates showed high genetic heterogeneity among and within a race of the same virulence. The study has revealed the existence of both Andean and Middle American races and extensive molecular diversity of C. lindemuthianum in Zambia. The knowledge on the race structure of C. lindemuthianum that this study has provided will be valuable for making breeding decisions on the host plant resistance genes required for developing common bean varieties with durable resistance to anthracnose in Zambia.

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