Diseases

Monilinia fruit rot of American plum

Prunus americana Marsh.

A fungal disease of Prunus americana caused by the pathogen Monilinia fructicola. It manifests as spring blossom and twig blight, as well as summer fruit rot followed by fruit mummification.

In the reference 5 varieties crop American plum, where this is mentioned in the description.

The primary causal agent of Monilinia fruit rot on Prunus americana is the fungus Monilinia fructicola. The disease progresses in two stages: a spring stage, characterized by browning and wilting of flowers and young shoots, and a summer stage, where brown spots develop on ripening fruit, leading to their complete mummification.

A characteristic sign of infection is the appearance of grayish-brown powdery spore masses on the surface of the fruit and mummified remains. Western forms of the American plum exhibit increased susceptibility to blossom and twig blight, which reduces their vigor under high humidity conditions.

Specific resistance genes to this disease have not been described in the species. Nevertheless, Prunus americana germplasm possesses natural levels of resistance to Monilinia fructicola and is used in breeding as a donor of genetic variability to improve the protection of cultivated plum species.

General information about the subject — on the page Moniliasis (fruit rot).

Sources8

Varieties of American plum mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.