Botrytis Brown Mold

Plate 23 Botrytis, the Brown Mold, contaminating the casing layer. 

Gray mold rot is caused by Botrytis cinerea, which results in a pale brown discoloration and sunken lesions on the tuber surface. At high relative humidities, the surface becomes covered with white mycelium and subsequently with gray-brown spores (Johnson, 1931). The interior of the tubers discolors and softens. The organism can cause serious storage losses even at low temperatures. 

Plant volatiles have been surveyed to find safe and environmentally friendly postharvest fumigants. Hexanal (171), 1-hexanol (172), ( )-2-hexen-l-ol (173), (Z)-6-nonenal (174), ( )-3-nonen-2-one (175), methyl salicylate (176), and methyl benzoate (177) exhibit potential to control the gray mold, Botrytis cinerea 02 (E)-2-hexenal (178), carvacrol (179), ( )-cinnamaldehyde (180), and citral (181) exhibited consistent fungicidal activities against Penicittium expansum, the cause of blue mould of pear.103 ( )-2-hexenal (178), carvacrol (179), and citral (181) were also effective against Monilinia laxa, the cause of brown rot in stone fruit.104... 

Leaves or twigs covered with brownish gray mold. Cause Botrytis blight. An effective control for this fungal disease is to remove and discard blighted foliage as soon as you see it. For more information, see Blossoms covered with brown splotches or brownish gray mold above. 

Microbially deteriorated fruit represents a challenge not only in terms of extraction of mold-produced odors and flavors into the juice and wine but also to the success of fermentation and clarification. Botrytis activity in grape musts results in (a) browning due to laccase, (b) problematic fermentations, and (c) post-fermentation clarity and stabihty problems. In the case of red grape cultivars, Botrytis also brings about significant dete-rioration/reduction in total anthocyanins (Ewart et al., 1989). 

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