Monilinia fructigena is a plant pathogen in the fungus kingdom causing a fruit rot of apples, pears, plums, peaches and cherries.

These ‘sections’ are the resulting attempt to further differentiate Monilinia into two separate classifications based on morphology, the specialization of the pathogens’ hosts, and the biological process of infection.

[4] The conidiophores are short and unspecialized, and perform as a means to elevate the spore chains above infected tissues to provide better exposure to air currents.

The apple skin remains shiny and unbroken, and shrinkage of the actual tissue does not occur until later in development, where it often rots quickly in storage.

[5] Within the short span of several days, the entire ripe fruit is rotten and rife with conidial tufts and/or vegetative growth of mycelium.

After dropping in a mummified form to the ground, the pathogen overwinters, eventually sending up apothecia to produce the wind-carried ascospores that arrive on new plant tissues.

Fallen infected tissues that possess sufficient moisture to undergo the sporulation process often provide a source of secondary inoculation.

[8] It was also found that certain fungicides, namely pyraclostrobin and boscalid, applied after spring bloom were effective against Monilinia fructigena as a means of combating primary infection.