ID Gallery: Gray Mold
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showing multiple images of the external disease symptoms.
Gray Mold on Apples
Gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is a common postharvest disease on apples worldwide. This fungus has the ability to spread from decayed fruit to surrounding healthy fruit through fruit-to-fruit contact during storage. Because of this, significant losses as high as 20-60% are not uncommon after an extended period of storage, particularly on fruit that were not treated with fungicides prior to storage
For a full description of gray mold and it’s management visit our page Gray Mold Postharvest Disease.
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Gray mold originating from infection at stem bowl; gray spore masses may be visible at the diseased area under high humidity. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
Gray mold commonly originating from infection of wounds on the fruit; decayed area brown, spongy to firm; decayed tissue may become soft in very advanced stage. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
Gray mold originating from infection of the calyx of a Red Delicious; white to gray mycelium and gray spores may cover the decayed area under high humidity conditions. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
Gray mold at the stem-bowl of a Gala. Decayed area brown and spongy to firm. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Internal view of a Fuji apple tissue infected by gray mold. Note the irregular margin and decayed tissue does not separate from healthy tissue. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Gray mold originating from side wound infection of a Granny Smith. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Advanced stage of gray mold. White to gray mycelium covering the decayed area under high humidity. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Nesting of gray mold due to fruit-to fruit spread on Honeycrisp in storage. Notice white to gray mycelium. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Gray mold infection at the stem end of a Honeycrisp apple showing fluffy white to gray mycelia. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.
Interior view of gray mold on Honeycrisp originating from a stem bowl infection. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.
External gray mold infection on Crips Pink apple not showing spores. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.
Gray mold infection on Crips Pink apple with white mycelia and early spore formation in the stem bowl. Photo: TJ Mullinex, Good Fruit Grower.
Gray Mold on Pear
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Stem-end gray mold progressing toward the calyx-end commonly seen on d’Anjou pears. Photo: A. Amiri, WSU Plant Pathology.
Gray mold originating from calyx infection on a d‘Anjou pear. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
Gray mold originating from wound infection on a d’Anjou pear fruit. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
Sclerotia of B. cinerea formed on the surface of a decayed d ‘Anjou fruit at advanced stage. Photo: CL Xiao, USDA-ARS.
