Botrytis rot caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea is one of the most common causes of rotting in stored apples.
- The disease develops more rapidly at cold storage temperatures than any other rot.
- Losses can be significant with up to 12% in untreated fruit.
- The rot occurs mainly in store both as a wound rot and as a primary rot.
- It is rarely seen in the orchard as an extensive rot pre-harvest, but occurs as a blemish or slight rot at the calyx end of the fruit which dries to form dry-eye rot.