Scab (Sphaceloma perseae)
Credit: Biovision-Infonet
(c) A.A. Seif, icipe
The fungus readily infects young, succulent tissues of leaves, twigs and fruits. Lesions appear as small dark spots, slightly raised, oval to elongated. These spots join up, giving a corky appearance to the surface of the fruits, impairing the appearance but not the internal quality of the fruit. Fruits are only susceptible when young until about half size development. The fungus requires moist conditions for sporulation and infection.
What to do:
- Remove dead branches and twigs since they harbour the fungus.
- Remove fallen rotten fruits from the field.
- Apply copper-based fungicides re-flowering, at fruit formation, and after harvest.