Sooty Blotch and Flyspeck

Abstract

Sooty blotch and fly speck are the two most common “summer diseases” of apples in the Northeast; they are also problems on pears. Although caused by two different organisms, the diseases often occur together since both are confined to the fruit surface and are favored by similar environmental and horticultural conditions. Disease incidence and severity can be highly variable among production regions, growing seasons, and even individual orchards. Economic losses result primarily from the diminished appearance and commercial quality of infected fruit.