Radio Transcript
August 24th, 2026
Tanner Collier

Hello, this is Tanner Collier, the Horticulture Agent with Burke County Cooperative Extension. Today, we are going to discuss the issue of “Bitter Rot.”

Bitter Rot is a fungus that generally affects pome fruits like apples and pears but can affect other plants such as peaches, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, peppers, and more. Symptoms start to appear in July and can persist all the way through post-harvest. Bitter rot starts off as small, circular, sunken spots on the fruit that enlarge, turn dark, and develop concentric rings. When the fruit is cut open, there will be a distinctive V-shaped, brown, watery lesion that moves toward the core of the fruit.

This fungus can persist year to year by overwintering in dead fruit, dead wood, and plant debris. Bitter Rot thrives in warm and humid temperatures and moves via rain, wind, insects, and birds. There are several cultural strategies you can use to manage Bitter Rot such as pruning dead and diseased tissues from plants, removing dead fruit from the ground, and ensuring proper fertilization, watering, and pruning of plants. Chemical controls can be utilized through a 7-10 day fungicide spray program throughout high-risk periods. Contact Burke County Cooperative Extension for specific fungicides to use.

This has been Tanner Collier, with Burke County Cooperative Extension. If you have any questions or want more information you can contact us at (828) 764-9480.