Fruit Rot symptoms on Strawberry
Fruit Rots (fungi - Botrytis cinerea, Rhizoctonia spp. plus others): Fruit rots destroy a large percentage of the fruit each
year in Texas. There are several organisms involved in this
complex and symptoms are somewhat different for each fungus. Gray
mold rot (Botrytis) is the most damaging. It attacks green fruit
as well as ripe fruit. The first sign of infection is a small,
brown, soft spot. Ripe fruit rapidly rots, becoming covered with
a gray moldy growth. Rhizoctonia attacks ripe fruit that in most
cases contacted soil. The disease is called hard rot. Affected
berries are usually one sided. Fruit rot control is achieved with
chemical applications and cultural practices. Maintain good air
circulation by not crowding plants. Avoid excessive fertility
rates.
January, 1996
