|
|
Article: Brown-rot fungus growing on apricot tree is the pits.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
- Article from:
- Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service
- Article date:
- August 2, 2001
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Q. My apricot tree is having problems. Very few of the blossoms set any fruit, and what did set turned mushy and brown before it ripened. A lot of the twigs are dead. I would like to get a crop next year.
A. You have the most common problem that occurs on stone fruit, being apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums and cherries. A fungus called brown rot (Monilinia) is the perpetrator. During the winter months, resting spores survive on infected twigs and dead material on the tree. Old withered fruit _ appropriately called "mummies" _ are a great place for the spores to survive. Come spring, as the weather warms and spring rains appear, new spores are released and ...