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Fungal diseases are common in fruit bearing trees. The reason will be the dew created by insects breeding near the trees. In particular, citrus trees invite a large group of dew producing insects and thus the trees suffer a severe attack due to various fungal infections. Brown rot is a special and brutal fungal disease often seen to be occurring in fruits of peach tree, apricot and several other trees belonging to citrus family. This ailment is caused by the fungus called Monilinia fructicola that exhibits extraordinary prolongation to the host tree even after the removal of infested parts. Thus it shows the severity in deteriorating life of plants. From agricultural point of view, fruits are considered to be one of the vital commodities to trade and large farms of such trees if gets infected by brown rot, then loss becomes an inevitable factor.
The growth of brown rot keeps on intensifying when the trees are left uncared. The characteristic feature of this fungal disease is that it spreads to every part destructing the entire plant if left untreated. Symptoms of Brown rot initially include a tiny brown patch on the developed fruit and on later stage the patch gets widened in terms of few millimeters per day. Over the brown patch, spongy grey patch covers the fruits which is common symptom of all fungal growth. At mature stage of this disease, the fruits get dispatched from the plant and when it occurs the fruit will appear totally brown and dried.
Treatment of Brown rot is usually done by removal of the infected fruits. But it is not enough as the fungus is likely to spread to adjacent fruits, branches and even the bark of the tree with the similar symptoms. Therefore, extensive control method is required to hold up the growth of fungus. Organic treatment of using mineral oils as a natural fungicide has shown better results than sprays made of chemical constituents. Mineral oil of Neem leaves possesses the best grade of a fungicidal constituent and observed to control the fungal growth, to some extent, but it can probably be used to reduce the dew producing insects thereby brown rot is avoided.
Neem oil spray over the infected fruits and twigs once or twice in a week after prior identification can help to control the further expansion of fungus and keeps the tree safe from other consequent infections. Use of synthetic farm sprays with over dosage can sometimes lead to any side effects for the plant and since fruits are edible it is not recommended to use chemicals. Thus, Neem oil can be a wise choice of product in controlling fungal brown rots.
Author: Adam Teaser - neem
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