Bot rot: what is it? It is the colloquial term for the fungal disease that damages apple trees, Botryosphaeria canker and fruit rot. Apples infected with bot rot are unfit for human consumption. For additional details on apple bot rot, including how to treat it, keep reading.
Bot Rot: What is it?
The fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea is the cause of the infection known as “bot rot.” It affects not only apples but also pears, chestnuts, and grapes and is also referred to as white rot or botryosphaeria rot. In apple orchards, bot rot can cause a large loss of fruit. Some orchards in the Carolinas and the Piedmont region of Georgia have suffered the most from this, losing as much as half of their apple crops. Apple trees can also get cankers from the bot rot fungus. During hot, dry summers, this is more prevalent in southern U.S. orchards.
Apple Tree Symptoms Of Bot Rot
First, twigs and limbs become infected with bot rot. Little cankers that resemble blisters will be the first thing you notice. They can be confused with black rot canker when they first appear in the early summer. The next spring, the cankers develop fungal structures that contain black spores. In apple trees, cankers brought on by bot rot produce papery, orange bark.
The wood tissue beneath the bark is dark and slimy. Fruit can get bot rot in two different ways. One has symptoms that are external, and the other has symptoms that are internal. There is obvious external rot on the fruit’s exterior. It looks like red halos encircling brown spots. The core of the fruit eventually rots as the decomposed area grows larger over time. It might take until after harvest to notice internal rot. You can tell there’s a problem when an apple feels soft to the touch. The fruit skin may develop a transparent, gooey liquid.
Apples Are Controlled By Botryosphaeria
The first step in controlling botryosphaeria in apples is to remove the contaminated fruit and wood. This is important because the fungus overwinters in dead apple tree branches and rotted apples. Eliminating all dead wood is essential when addressing apple bot rot. As a precaution, think about applying a fungicide after pruning apple trees. It is particularly crucial to use fungicidal sprays during rainy seasons. On the designated schedule, keep spraying. One way to control botryosphaeria in apples is to minimize stress on the trees. Be sure to water your trees frequently during dry spells.
