Planetagarden
Mummy berry is one of the most serious diseases affecting blueberry plants. The disease is caused by a fungus that attacks young shoots and 'mummifies' fruit. There is zero tolerance for mummified fruit in the blueberry market.
- How do you treat mummy berries?
- What causes mummy berry?
- What does mummy berry look like?
- What disease did mummies scientists get?
How do you treat mummy berries?
For effective management, apply mulch in in late winter (e.g., mid-March) or earlier in the fall and winter months if maintained at least at a 2-inch depth. A variety of fungicides are available for controlling mummy berry. Many of these materials have good activity against both stages of the disease.
What causes mummy berry?
Mummy berry, caused by the fungal pathogen Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi, is a disease of high economic concern in areas of blueberry production from the southern United States to Canada. The disease results in the replacement of blueberry fruit with a fungal pseudosclerotium causing substantial crop loss.
What does mummy berry look like?
Mature mummified berries are gray, shriveled, and hard. Apothecia can be found under bushes where leaf debris or mulch has been left undisturbed. In spring, before bloom urn-shaped apothecia emerge from the mummies and are light brown to brown.
What disease did mummies scientists get?
Studies conducted on the two oldest mummies, which reveal evidence of breast cancer and multiple myeloma -- the oldest known cases to date -- have enabled researchers to confirm that these diseases were already present in humans in ancient times.
