How to Manage Pests

Brown rot—Phytophthora spp.

Ripe or ripening citrus fruit on the lower part of the tree may develop a light brown, water-soaked decay often called brown rot. Affected fruit develop a pungent odor. Fruit in the early stage of the disease may go unnoticed at harvest and infect other fruit during storage.

Solutions

Remove diseased fruit. Do not store infected fruit with clean fruit. Prune tree skirts so branches are at least 2 feet from the ground. A preventive Bordeaux treatment applied before first fall rains can be applied to tree skirts up to 4 feet and the ground beneath trees.

Early stages of brown rot on oranges

Infestation of brown rot on lemons