Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

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Breadfruit Phytophthora fruit rot (130)

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Photo 1. Fruit infection by Phytophthora palmivora on breadfruit. The white area is the cottony growth or body of the water mould (it is not a fungus) and contains the spores.

Summary

• Worldwide distribution. On breadfruit, but also cocoa and coconut, papaya, rubber, and many more. An important disease.
• A water mould, an oomycete, not a fungus. Spores are splashed by rain from soil onto lower fruit; later, spores on fruit spread in wind-driven rain. The spores are lemon shaped, and can be seen with a lens.
• Cultural control: prune lower branches to prevent fruit infection; "top" trees starting when young, keeping them between 3-4 m to facilitate management of the disease; apply mulch to prevent rain splash of spores onto lower fruit; avoid susceptible varieties (e.g., Puou in Samoa).
•  Chemical control: protectants - copper, chlorothalonil, mancozeb; systemics – metalaxyl, phosphorous acid.

Common Name

Breadfruit rot

Scientific Name

Phytophthora palmivora

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