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How to Manage Pests

UC Pest Management Guidelines


Cherry

Ripe Fruit Rot

Pathogens: Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia laxa, Botrytis cinerea, Rhizopus spp.

(Reviewed 4/06, updated 4/06)

In this Guideline:


SYMPTOMS

Fruit rot caused by Monilinia or Botrytis results in dark brown, firm, circular spots that spread rapidly over fruit. Tan spore masses may grow on the rotted areas. The fruit become more susceptible as they ripen. Diseased fruits usually do not remain on the tree until the next season, but are present as inoculum sources for the current season's crop.

Rhizopus rot is a postharvest storage problem. The decaying fruit tissue is watery and soft; the fungus is identified by masses of white mycelium with tiny black sporangia that form most abundantly on fruit near the edge of containers.

COMMENTS ON THE DISEASES

Monilinia and Botrytis can infect uninjured ripening fruit. Moisture, either rain or dew, and injury or fruit cracking increases the probability of preharvest infection and consequent rot. Rhizopus invades ripe fruit that has been injured or cracked, causing the fruit to rot after harvest.

MANAGEMENT

Injured, split fruits cannot be protected from Monilinia and Botrytis rot by preharvest sprays, but uninjured fruit can. Protect ripe fruit from Rhizopus either with a preharvest treatment (for fruit that will be sold right after harvest) or a postharvest treatment (for fruit that will be shipped). After harvest, Rhizopus can be controlled if the fruit is stored below temperatures of 40°F.

Apply a preharvest treatment 1 to 14 days before harvest. A postharvest spray can be made during stem cutting and sizing operations.

Common name Amount/Acre P.H.I.+
(trade name)   (days)

The following materials are listed in order of usefulness in an IPM program, taking into account efficacy. When choosing a pesticide, also consider information relating to environmental impact.
 
PREHARVEST: Monilinia and Botrytis
A. TEBUCONAZOLE
  (Elite) 45WP 4–8 oz 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
 
B. PROPICONAZOLE
  (Break EC, Orbit) 4 fl oz  
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 8 fl oz/acre/crop from petal fall to harvest.
 
C. PYRACLOSTROBIN/BOSCALID
  (Pristine) 10.5–14.5 oz 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A Qol (Group 11)1 and carboxamide (Group 7)1 fungicide.
  COMMENTS: To reduce the potential for the development of resistance, do not make more than five applications/season of Group 7 or 11 fungicides.
 
D. FENBUCONAZOLE
  (Indar) 75WSP 2oz 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Apply in a minimum of 50 gal water/acre. A protectant fungicide. Begin applications before infections occur if conditions are conducive to disease development. Do not apply more than 1 lb of formulated product/acre/season.
 
E. FENHEXAMID
  (Elevate) 50WDG 1–1.5 lb 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A hydroxyanilide (Group 17)1 fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 6 lb/acre/season or make more than 2 consecutive applications with this product.
 
F. MYCLOBUTANIL
  (Rally) 40 WP 4–6 oz 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 3.25 lb/acre/season. More effective when applied as a concentrate (80-100 gal/acre) than as a dilute spray.
 
G. TRIFLUMIZOLE
  (Procure) 50W 10–16 oz 1
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
 
H. FENARIMOL
  (Rubigan) EC 6–12 oz/200 gal water  
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 pyrimidine fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Do not apply more than 48 oz before harvest.
 
I. CAPTAN
  (Various) 50WP Label rates 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A multi-site contact (Group M4)1 phthalimide fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Do not apply in combination with, immediately before, or closely following oil sprays.
 
POSTHARVEST: Rhizopus only
A. DICHLORAN
  (Botran) 75W 1.33 lb/acre 10
  MODE OF ACTION: An AH (Group 14)1 fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Apply 10 days before harvest.
 
POSTHARVEST: Monilinia, Botrytis, and Rhizopus
A. TEBUCONAZOLE
  (Elite) 45WP 8 oz/25,000 lb fruit 0
  MODE OF ACTION: A DMI (Group 3)1 triazole fungicide.
  COMMENTS: For use on sweet cherries.
 
B. FLUDIOXONIL
  (Scholar) 8–16 oz/25–100 gal  
  MODE OF ACTION: A PP (Group 12)1 fungicide.
  COMMENTS: Treat 25,000 lb fruit in a high volume (dilute) application with agitation to keep Scholar in solution.
 
 
Preharvest interval. Do not apply within this many days of harvest.  
1 Group numbers are assigned by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC) according to different modes of actions. Fungicides with a different group number are suitable to alternate in a resistance management program. For more information, see http://www.frac.info/.  

More information on cherry fungicides

[Precautions]

PUBLICATION

[UC Peer Reviewed]

UC IPM Pest Management Guidelines: Cherry
UC ANR Publication 3440
Diseases
J. E. Adaskaveg, Plant Pathology, UC Riverside
W. D. Gubler, Plant Pathology, UC Davis
Acknowledgment for contributions to the diseases section:
B. L. Teviotdale, Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier

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Statewide IPM Program, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California
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