Botrytis (Gray Mold)
fungusBotrytis cinerea
Ubiquitous gray mold fungus attacking fruits, flowers, and wounded tissue. Thrives in cool, humid conditions.
Identification
Fuzzy gray mold on infected tissue. Water-soaked spots on fruit. Brown wilting of flowers. White halo on leaves.
Damage & Symptoms
Fruit rot (strawberries, tomatoes). Flower blight. Stem cankers. Post-harvest losses. Devastating in storage.
Organic Control
Remove infected tissue. Improve air circulation. Copper spray. Bacillus subtilis. Reduce humidity.
Chemical Control
Iprodione. Chlorothalonil. Fenhexamid (Elevate). Rotate fungicide classes.
Prevention
Good air circulation. Avoid crowding. Water at soil level. Harvest promptly. Remove dead plant material. Strawberry: mulch under berries.
Data confidence: medium | Source: curated_ipm