Diseases

Botrytis / Gray Mold

Botrytis cinerea can colonize senescent or injured tissues and cause destructive flower rot under favorable conditions. Internal flower damage can be advanced before surface sporulation is obvious.

What to look for

  • Localized browning, softening, or collapse within flowers
  • Gray-brown sporulation under suitable conditions
  • Dead leaf tips or damaged tissue embedded in dense flowers
  • Rapid progression in humid, poorly ventilated microclimates

Important look-alikes

  • Natural senescence
  • Mechanical bruising
  • Other flower molds
  • Localized desiccation

How to confirm

  • Inspect inside affected flower clusters rather than only the surface
  • Use magnification for characteristic fungal structures when possible
  • Record humidity, condensation, airflow, and recent wetting events

Management principles

  • Remove affected material carefully to reduce dispersal
  • Correct moisture and airflow problems
  • Do not retain visibly moldy harvested material for consumption

Prevention

  • Keep flowers dry
  • Avoid persistent condensation
  • Maintain airflow through dense canopies
  • Sanitize dead tissue and plant debris
  • Inspect frequently late in flowering

Visual study guide

  • Internal flower-rot cross section
  • Early versus advanced Botrytis panel
  • Humidity and condensation risk diagram
  • Safe inspection workflow

Evidence & further reading

Sources connected to this lesson

These references support specific biological, diagnostic, environmental, or process concepts used in this lesson. They are not a substitute for crop-specific testing or local regulatory guidance.