BROWN ROT IN FRUIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22010, 17 January 1935, Page 11

BROWN ROT IN FRUIT

LOSS TO ORCHAKDISTS EFFECT OF RAIN. SHOWERS EARLIER SEASON THIS YEAR Brown rot in stone fruit is again taking its toll of orchard crops this year. Inquiries made yesterday showed that the trouble is no worse than in previous years, but it is sufficiently severe to fause considerable loss. The form of brown rot which affects the* fruit in the ripening stage is particularly annoying as it is sometimes not discernible until the fruit has been packed and sent to market. Humidity caused by intermittent showers of rain promotes the infection of ripe rot and the scattered rains experienced this season have tended to encourage the disease, although the rainfall has been below the requirements of the trees. The Whangarei district has suffered particularly severely in this respect. S Apricots from Central Otago have been selling at low rates in Auckland owing to their susceptibility to brown rot. In Auckland and surrounding districts the disease has caused considerable damage, especially among nectarines and certain varieties of peaches and plums. However, fewer fruit reach the Auckland market in an infected state from near by orchards than from orchards further distant, as the local fruit is picked and sent to market in a riper condition. The fruit most, susceptible to brown rot are nectarines and apricots. The infection also attacks peaches and plums, being confined in the main to stone fruits. No means of eradicating the pest has yet been evolved, but the customary fruit sprays have enabled it to be held in check.

Apart from losses due to brown rot. the crops of stone fruit are of normal quantity. The season has beeij. hastened by the prolonged sunshine of the present summer, with the result that plums and peaches are being harvested earlier than usual. As" a natural consequence the stone fruit season will come to an end sooner than normally and housewives would be well advised to make arrangements for preserving their winter supply of fruit and making jam before the season is too far advanced.