Diseases

Sclerotinia

Sclerotinia is an important fungal disease affecting kiwifruit. In seasons conducive to the disease, sclerotinia can cause severe yield loss through flower blight and premature fruit drop. Fruit quality is also impacted as scarred fruit resulting from sclerotinia infections is unsuitable for export. Sclerotinia infects kiwifruit flowers and is favoured by warm, humid and moist weather conditions. The key to controlling sclerotinia in kiwifruit is to prevent infection in the flowering period through a timely application of a fungicide.