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| Blossom Wilt |
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A fungal disease that destroys the blossom of fruit trees that produce stone fruit, and fruit with cores, e.g. apples, pears and cherries.
The disease is climate-dependent and the severity can vary due to this, i.e. the spores are spread in humid conditions by wind, rain and insects
The symptoms are the wilting and shrivelling of blossom and associated leaves on fruiting spurs, i.e. it is restricted to flowering spurs.
The buff-coloured pustules may be visible on the leaves during damp weather.
It can over-winter in mummified fruit and small bark cankers formed where rotted fruit has been left on the tree.
Fungicides are no longer available to the home gardener, but copper fungicide or Bordeaux mixture may give some control.
Consequently early pruning out of infection and destroying rotten fruit is the best form of treatment.
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