Anthracnose of Brambles
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Anthracnose (Elsinoe veneta) is a prevalent fungal disease that is especially severe on canes of black raspberry, but it can also occur on other bramble hosts. Cane symptoms first develop on primocanes during spring. Spots are initially purple, enlarging to sunken ashy-gray lesions with purple borders; diseased tissue eventually cracks. The following year, infected canes are stunted with reduced fruit production. Leaf spots, which are yellowish at first, become a distinct light gray with red-purple borders, similar to cane lesions; centers of spots eventually drop out (shot-hole). Leaf spots may resemble Septoria or Cercospora leaf spots. The fungus overwinters in infected canes; succulent, rapidly-growing plant parts become infected the following spring.
Early season appearance of anthracnose lesions.
(Photo: Charles Drake, Virginia Tech, Bugwood.org)
Late season appearance of anthracnose lesions.
(Photo: Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology Archives, Pennsylvania State University, Bugwood.org)
Close-up of older lesions on canes.
(Photo: Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology Archives, Pennsylvania State University, Bugwood.org)
Symptoms on fruit.
(Photo: John Strang, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Practice proper sanitation (remove floricanes after harvest; remove all diseased canes; destroy prunings or discard away from plantings).
- Increase air circulation to encourage drying of plant tissues (pruning, thinning, spacing, and managing weeds).
- Apply fungicides (especially dormant application).
- Consider planting tolerant cultivars.
