& McNew, (2002) Ceratocystis paradoxa or Black Rot of Pineapple is a plant pathogen that is a fungus, part of the phylum Ascomycota.

These are the structures which are used primarily to survive long periods of time or overwinter to prepare for the next growing season of its host.

[2] Symptoms for this disease are very obvious black lesions on the fruit, the main infection part of the plant.

The lesions on the fruit evolve to become soft rot spots that produce a heinous odor.

[3] Known hosts: Ananas comosus (pineapple) Araceae Areca catechu (betelnut palm) Borassus flabellifer (toddy palm) Butia capitata Cocos nucifera (coconut) Coffea (coffee) Daucus carota (carrot) Dypsis decaryi Elaeis guineensis (African oil palm) Eucalyptus Howea forsteriana (paradise palm) Mangifera indica (mango) Musa x paradisiaca (plantain) Phoenix dactylifera (date-palm) Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) Solanum muricatum (melon pear) Theobroma cacao (cocoa) Zea mays (maize) [3] The pathogen Ceratocystis paradoxa is the teleomorph stage of the inoculation and is uncommon in the natural environment.

This is because the primary disease observed is caused by the anamorph stage which is due to Thielaviopsis paradoxa.

If the infection is seen out in the field, the chlamydospores will over winter in the dead debris of the plants or in the soil.

Post-harvest fungicides are also useful in limiting the disease, however continued use could possibly lead to pathogen resistance.