In the orchard
Brown rot cankers can be confused with other cankers, especially those caused by blossom wilt (see Diagnosis of cankers, in Apple Canker section [hyperlink ?]).
- Mummified fruit are usually distinctive especially when sporing.
- Similarly, brown rot in the orchard is easily distinguished from other rots by the buff-coloured pustules.
- Botryosphaeria obtusa can also cause a brown rot on apples before harvest, usually at the eye end of the fruit and associated with a wound.
- This rot can be distinguished from brown rot by the absence of buff-coloured pustules, the possible presence of pin head-sized fruiting bodies, and the fact that it is usually very firm.
In store
Distinguishing brown rot from other rots may be more difficult since many are brown in colour.
- Brown rot may be confused with Botrytis rot, Phytophthora rot, particularly on Gala, Jonagold and Egremont Russet.
- The identity of the rot may only be determined by a specialist and may require culturing onto artificial media in the laboratory to be certain.