Brown Rot
Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia laxa, Monilinia fructigena
Overview
A destructive fungal disease of stone fruits and some pome fruits, causing blossom blight, twig cankers, and fruit rot. Infected fruit becomes mummified and can persist on the tree through winter.
Symptoms
Blossoms wilt and turn brown (blossom blight). Small, sunken cankers on twigs. Fruit develops soft, brown, expanding rot with grayish-tan sporulation in concentric rings. Mummified fruit persists on tree.
Environmental Conditions
Humid
Prevention
Remove mummified fruit from trees and ground. Prune to improve air circulation. Thin fruit to prevent contact. Apply preventive fungicide at bloom and pre-harvest. Plant resistant varieties.
Management
Apply sulfur or copper fungicides at pink bud, full bloom, and petal fall. Remove infected blossoms and fruit immediately. Prune out cankers. Harvest fruit promptly and refrigerate.