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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #414831
Research Project: Knowledge Based Tools for Exotic and Emerging Diseases of Small Fruit and Nursery Crops

Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit

Title: Managing fruit rot diseases of Vaccinium corymbosum

Author
item NEUGEBAUER, KERRI - Michigan State University
item MATTUPALLI, CHAKRADHAR - Washington State University Extension Service
item HU, MENGJUN - University Of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES)
item OLIVER, JONATHAN - University Of Georgia
item VANDERWEIDE, JOSHUA - Michigan State University
item LU, YUZHEN - Michigan State University
item SULLIVAN, KEVIN - Rutgers University
item Stockwell, Virginia
item OUDEMANS, PETER - Rutgers Agriculture Research & Extension Center
item MILES, TIMOTHY - Michigan State University

Submitted to: Frontiers in Plant Science
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/17/2024
Publication Date: 8/6/2024
Citation: Neugebauer, K.A., Mattupalli, C., Hu, M., Oliver, J.E., Vanderweide, J., Lu, Y., Sullivan, K., Stockwell, V.O., Oudemans, P., Miles, T.D. 2024. Managing fruit rot diseases of Vaccinium corymbosum. Frontiers in Plant Science.

Interpretive Summary: As consumer demand for this nutritious and flavorful fruit continues to increase, it is important to reduce crop loss to two important fruit rot diseases of blueberry, gray mold and ripe rot. Both diseases are caused by fungi, but the biology of the pathogens differ which means that different management approaches are needed. This work reviews innovative methods to detect these pathogens and determine their sensitivity to various fungicides, spectral data from berries to remove damaged or infected fruit on packing lines, and the development of disease resistant cultivars to improve blueberry fruit quality and reduce crop losses in the field and in storage. The integration of the these technologies and methods could significantly improve disease management and economic viability of blueberry production.

Technical Abstract: Blueberries are an important perennial fruit crop with expanding consumption and production worldwide. Consumer demand for blueberries is growing due to their desirable flavor and numerous health benefits, and fresh market production in the U.S. has risen in turn. However, U.S. imports have also increased to meet the now year-round consumer demand for fresh blueberries. Economically important diseases such as anthracnose (caused by Colletotrichum spp.) and botrytis fruit rot (caused by Botrytis spp.) are among the most difficult to control in the blueberry cropping system. The causal fungal pathogens can lead to significant yield loss and reduction of fruit quality in the field, as well as significant postharvest losses, especially during transport and marketplace storage. Although anthracnose and botrytis both result in rotted fruit, the biology and infection strategies of the causal pathogens are very different. As a result, the effective management strategies differ in timing and fungicide choice. New innovations in management, such as improved molecular detection assays for each pathogen and associated fungicide resistance, postharvest imaging, breeding resistant cultivars, and biopesticides have been developed for improved fruit quality. Integrating these strategies is critical for the long-term success of the blueberry industry.