Fungus in Tree Fruit

Fungus in Tree Fruit

Bob Larson
Bob Larson
With today's Fruit Grower Report, I'm Bob Larson. A Washington State University researcher is dedicated to finding out all he can about mold and fungus in tree fruit.

Professor Achour Amiri spends many hours this time of year in apple and pear packing rooms and warehouses in Central Washington where a few suspected pathogens may be lurking ...

ACHOUR AMIRI ... "We are seeing some new species, some new molds that we need to work in smart way in order to minimize the impact on the growers or on the packers. Because some of the new pathogens can be considered as quarantine pathogens or quarantine molds in other parts of the world. So our Washington or our Oregon packers cannot export fruits if they infected with these few pathogens."

Amiri says not all molds are bad, but we need to be aware of any changes when they occur ...

ACHOUR AMIRI ... "Some molds are favored by dry conditions. Some others prefer wet conditions. So this is a changing or one of the biggest challenges is to adapt or is to get the best knowledge we can about this variability in order to adapt to it. In order to use the tools we have in a better way to get the maximum control we can."

Amiri says they are trying to come up with the best spray practices to slow down or delay any resistance the molds may build up over time, but also to develop better tools to predict, detect and measure important microbes.

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