Building the Latest Understanding in Extension
Disease Management that Yields New and Meaningful Outputs
Blueberry Fruit Rot Diseases
Anthracnose fruit rot (AFR) and Botrytis fruit rot (BFR) are a significant threat to fruit quality of highbush blueberries in North America
Anthracnose Fruit Rot
This disease is caused by Colletotrichum spp. which can results in 10-25% pre-harvest yield losses, while up to 100% post-harvest yield loss
Botrytis Fruit Rot
This disease is caused by Botrytis spp. which can also cause blossom blight, resulting in up to 30-40% pre-harvest yield losses
Managing Blueberry Fruit Rots Through a Multi-Faceted Approach
Implications of Management
How do fungicide use patterns influence fruit rot pathogens population dynamics?
Molecular Tools
How much does the pathogen have to invest in exchange for fungicide resistance?
Imaging Technology
How can we detect and sort susceptible fruits before symptoms appear?
Outreach and Extension
Which resources will we provide to growers and industry professionals?
About BLUE DYNAMO
Our main goal is to take a multi-faceted approach for developing effective blueberry fruit rot management programs while balancing the cost/benefit ratio to guide farm management decisions