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Sooty Mold (fungi - Capnodium spp.)

Leaves, fruit and sometimes branches have a black, moldy appearance. The fungi causing sooty mold do not actually infect the plant, instead they grow on the sugary exudates of insects such as aphids, brown soft scale, blackflies and whiteflies. The amount of sooty mold found is directly proportional to the number of honeydew-secreting insects present.

A heavy sooty mold coating on the fruit can result in a lower grade of fruit, while a heavy coating of fungi on the leaves could retard growth, causing lighter flowering and reduced yields. Insect control will prevent sooty mold development. Heavy sooty mold can be treated by adding one-half percent oil to the insecticide spray.

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