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ID Gallery: Bull’s Eye Rot

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Bull’s eye rot (BER) is a continuous threat to apple and pear storability in the PNW and in many other growing regions. Recent surveys from Washington State showed that BER accounted for 8 to 10% of overall decayed fruit and 40% of the surveyed orchards had BER at frequencies ranging between 1% and 75% (Amiri and Ali 2016). Some cultivars, such as Golden Delicious and Pinata are highly susceptible to Neofabraea spp., but other cultivars such as Fuji, Cripps Pink, and Granny Smith can also be at risk, especially when rainy conditions occur before harvest.

For more information about Bull’s eye rot and how to manage the disease see our page Postharvest Diseases: Bull’s Eye Rot.

Bull’s Eye Rot in Apple

yellow apple with a brown spot

Bull’s eye rot from a side wound infections. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.

red-yellow apple with a brown spot with rings

Bull’s eye rot lesion on the side of a Fuji apple. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.

yellow-green apple with a round brown spot

Bull’s eye rot on a Golden Delicious fruit. The lesion is flat to slightly sunken, brown to dark brown with lighter brown to tan center. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

yellow-green apple with a brown spot around the stem

Bull’s eye rot originating from an infection in the stem bowl of this Golden Delicious apple. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

yellow-green apple with brown around the calyx

Bull’s eye rot lesion originating from an infection in the calyx area of this Golden Delicious apple. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

red apple with large brown area around the stem, which is missing

Bull’s eye rot originating from the stem bowl of this Gala apple. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

red-yellow apple with a brown ring

Bull’s eye rot originating from a lenticel infection on Gala. Compare to next image. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

red apple with a dark brown ring

Bull’s eye rot originating from a lenticel infection on Gala. Note the difference with previous image. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

yellow-green apple with three brown, round spots with rings

Multiple Bull’s eye rot lesions on the side of a Golden Delicious apple. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

yellow-red apple with multiple round, brown spots and rings

Multiple Bull’s eye rot lenticel lesions. Photo: Whitney Garten, WSU Horticulture Student.

yellow apple with a round brown spot with a dark center

Early Bull’s eye rot infection starting from a wound on the side. Note light brown in the center with a darker halo towards the outer edge. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

yellow-green apple with a large round, brown area with a dark spot in the center

A more advanced Bull’s eye rot infection originating from a side wound. Acervuli beginning to appear. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

red apple with a large brown area with white rings

Advanced stage of Bull’s eye rot on Fuji apple. White mycelium and cream-colored spore masses clearly visible. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

half of an apple with brown spots into flesh

Cross-section of a Fuji apple showing internal symptoms of Bull’s eye rot originating from infections at both a lenticel and the stem-bowl. Note the sharp margin for each lesion. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

Bull’s Eye Rot of Pear

green pear with a brown ring

Bull’s eye rot on a d’Anjou pear fruit. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

a green pear with a large round brown patch with a developing white ring

Advanced stage of Bull’s eye rot on a d’Anjou pear fruit; white mycelium and cream-colored spore masses present at the center. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.

a green pear with a large brown ring and circular area of white flecks

Advanced stage of Bull’s eye rot on d’Anjou pear. Cream-colored spore masses present at the center of the sunken lesion. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.

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