North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Elizabeth Hilborn <ehilborn@mebtel.net>]

FYI from ProMed mail

PAECILOMYCES ROT, APPLE - USA: (NEW YORK), NEW DISEASE
******************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases <http://www.isid.org>

Date: Mon 2 Apr 2018
Source: WHCU News Talk Radio [edited]
<http://whcuradio.com/news/025520-apple-mold-confounds/>


A mold found in more than a 3rd of the soil samples from New York State apple 
orchards is causing a new disease, spoiling apples, even after heat 
pasteurization. The state is the top producer of processed apple products and 
they all rely on pasteurization.

Cornell's Kathie Hodge and Megan Biango-Daniels investigated the origins of a 
newly discovered apple disease called Paecilomyces Rot, caused by the common 
fungus found in 34 per cent of state orchards.
Previously, scientists believed the fungus was coming from soil 
contamination, but Hodge and Biango-Daniels believe other infected apples are 
the primary source.

Since this new apple disease appears similar in appearance to others, the 
scientists suggest apple producers isolate any of the fruit with wounds or 
bruising in order to avoid the spread of Paecilomyces Rot.

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The fungus causing this new disease has been identified as _Byssochlamys 
lagunculariae_ (previously _Paecilomyces niveus_; see source link below). The 
external fruit rot develops mainly in storage after harvest and symptoms 
appear to be similar to fruit rots due to other fungi. Susceptibility may 
vary somewhat between apple cultivars.
The fungus survives in orchard soils and on decaying plant material.

The significance of this report is stated as (1) the production of a 
mycotoxin, and (2) the fungus remaining infectious after commercial 
pasteurisation. Spores are reported to be tolerant of temperatures of up to 
90 degrees Celsius [194 F] and are suspected to be the cause of spoilage of 
canned products, leading to severe economic losses for the affected apple 
producers. This pathogen also appears to facilitate secondary infections by 
other fungi.

Other species in the genus _Byssochlamys_ are also known to produce 
mycotoxins and form heat resistant ascospores. They have been reported from 
soils in many areas and can cause problems, for example, in grapevine and 
tomato products.

Maps
USA:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/>
Individual states via:
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/states/>

Pictures
Apple with paecilomyces rot:
<http://news.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/styles/breakout/public/2018-03/0329_apple.jpg>
_B. lagunculariae_, microscopy:
<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jos_Houbraken/publication/41669957/figure/fig4/AS:202806704250901@1425364295000/Byssochlamys-lagunculariae-a-d-Conidiophores-e-conidia-f-asci-and-ascospores-Bys.png>

Links
Additional news story and source study (accepted for publication):
<http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2018/03/new-apple-disease-spoils-even-
pasteurized-foods> (thanks to G. Jackson, Pestnet) and
<https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PDIS-12-17-1896-RE>
Information on genus _Byssochlamys_ and associated diseases:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC243237/>,
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2789542/> and via 
<https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/byssochlamys>
_B. lagunculariae_ taxonomy and synonyms:
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/GSD/GSDspecies.asp?RecordID=512557>
and
<http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=512557>.
- Mod.DHA]

[See Also:
2017
----
Crown & root rot, apple - USA: (eastern)
http://promedmail.org/post/20170821.5263568
2012
----
Fungal diseases, apple - USA: (NY, MI)
http://promedmail.org/post/20120906.1282861
2005
----
Canker and twig dieback, apple, pear - USA (WA) 
http://promedmail.org/post/20051015.3001]
.................................................sb/dha/ec/dk