Diseases

Blueberry Mummy Berry

Vaccinium corymbosum L.

A fungal disease of highbush blueberry caused by the specialized pathogen Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi. It is characterized by a two-phase infection cycle: spring blight of young shoots and subsequent mummification of the fruit.

In the reference 10 varieties crop Highbush blueberry, where this is mentioned in the description.

The causal agent of the disease, Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi, is a highly specialized fungus that infects exclusively plants of the genus Vaccinium. The pathogen's life cycle begins in early spring, when ascospores from overwintered mummified berries on the ground infect young leaves, shoots, and flower buds, causing necrotic changes that resemble fire blight.

The second phase of the infection involves the transfer of conidia by insects to the flowers, which leads to the infection of the ovaries. Infected fruit fail to develop normally, becoming hard, shriveled, and taking on a characteristic cream, pink, or salmon coloration before dropping.

Specific genes for resistance to the pathogen have not been identified, so the breeding evaluation of cultivars is conducted empirically. Cultivars with relative resistance include Legacy, O'Neal, Star, and others, whereas Berkeley, Bluecrop, Blueray, Earliblue, Jersey, Weymouth, and Northland are classified as susceptible.

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

Sources8

Varieties of Highbush blueberry 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.