Diseases of Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.)

James J. Polashock, primary collator (last updated: 11/30/17)

Note: The diseases/disorders and their causal organisms/agents are known for all blueberries unless indicated as occurring primarily on highbush/rabbiteye (Vaccinium corymbosum/V. virgatum [syns. V. amoenum; V. ashei]) or lowbush (V. angustifolium and V. myrtilloides) blueberry.

ALGAL DISEASE

Algal stem blotch: Cephaleuros virescens Kunze ex Fries

BACTERIAL DISEASES

Bacterial canker: Pseudomonas syringae van Hall
Bacterial leaf scorch: Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al.; Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al. subsp. multiplex Schaad et al.
Bacterial leaf spot: Burkholderia andropogonis (Smith) Gillis et al.; (syn. Pseudomonas andropogonis (Smith) Stapp)
Crown gall: Agrobacterium rubi (Hildebrand) Starr & Weiss; (syn. Rhizobium rubi (Hildebrand) Young et al.); Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Smith & Townshend) Conn; (syn. Rhizobium radiobacter (Smith & Townsend) Young et al.)
Stunt: ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ Lee et al., subgroup 16SrI-E

FUNGAL DISEASES

Alternaria fruit rot/Alternaria leaf spot and fruit rot: Alternaria spp.; Alternaria tenuissima (Nees & T. Nees:Fr.) Wiltshire
Anthracnose/Anthracnose fruit rot: Colletotrichum acutatum J. H. Simmonds; (syn. Glomerella acutata Guerber & J. C. Correll); Colletotrichum fioriniae (J. A. P. Marcelino & S. Gouli) R. G. Shivas & Y. P. Tan; (syn. Glomerella fioriniae (J. A. P. Marcelino & S. Gouli) R. G. Shivas & Y. P. Tan); Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc.; (syn. Glomerella cingulata (Stoneman) Spauld. & H. Schrenk)
Armillaria root rot: Armillaria gallica Marxm. & Romagn.; Armillaria mellea (Vahl:Fr.) P. Kumm.; Armillaria solidipes Peck; (syn. Armillaria ostoyae (Romagn.) Herink)
Botryosphaeria stem blight: Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug.:Fr.) Ces & De Not.; (syn. Fusicoccum aesculi Corda); Lasiodiplodia theobromae (Pat.) Griffon & Maubl.; Neofusicoccum ribis (Slippers, Crous & M. J. Wingf.) Crous, Slippers & A. J. L. Phillips
Botryosphaeria stem canker: Botryosphaeria corticis (Demaree & M. S. Wilcox) Arx & E. Müll.; (syn. Physalospora corticis Demaree & M. S. Wilcox)
Botrytis blight and fruit rot/Botrytis blossom blight: Botrytis cinerea Pers.:Fr.; (syn. Botryotinia fuckeliana (de Bary) Whetzel)
Brown leaf spot: Septoria sp.
Cylindrocladium rot: Calonectria colhounii Peerally; (syn. Cylindrocladium colhounii Peerally); Calonectria ilicicola Boedijn & Reitsma; (syns. Calonectria crotalariae (Loos) D. K. Bell & Sobers; Cylindrocladium parasiticum; Crous, M. J. Wingf. & Alfenas)
Double spot: Dothichiza caroliniana Demaree & M. S. Wilcox
Exobasidium fruit and leaf spot (lowbush blueberry): Exobasidium sp.
Exobasidium leaf and fruit spot (highbush and rabbiteye blueberries): Exobasidium maculosum M. T. Brewer
Fusicoccum canker/Godronia canker: Godronia cassandrae Peck; (syn. Fusicoccum putrefaciens Shear)
Gibbera twig blight: Gibbera vacciniicola (Dearn. & House) M. E. Barr; (syn. Dothidella vacciniicola Dearn. & House)
Gloeocercospora leaf spot: Gloeocercospora inconspicua Demaree & M. S. Wilcox ex Deighton
Gloeosporium leaf spot and stem canker/Gloeosporium stem and leaf spot: Gloeosporium minus Shear
Leaf rust: In eastern North America:; Thekopsora minima P. Syd. & Syd.; (syn. Pucciniastrum minimum (Schwein.) Arthur); In western North America:; Naohidemyces vaccinii (Jørst) S. Sato, K. Katsuya, & Y. Hirats. ex Vanderweyen & Fraiture; (syns. Pucciniastrum myrtilli Arthur; Pucciniastrum vaccinii (G. Winter) Jørst.)
Mummy berry: Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi (J. M. Reade) Honey; (syn. Monilia vaccinii-corymbosi J. M. Reade)
Penicillium fruit rot: Penicillium spp.
Pestalotia fruit rot: Pestalotia spp.; Pestalotia vaccinii (Shear) Guba
Phomopsis canker/Phomopsis twig blight and fruit rot: Diaporthe vaccinii Shear; (syn. Phomopsis vaccinii Shear)
Phyllosticta fruit rot/Phyllosticta leaf spot and fruit rot: Phyllosticta vaccinii Earle; (syn. Botryosphaeria vaccinii (Shear) M. E. Barr)
Phytophthora root rot (see also Oomycete Disease): Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands
Powdery mildew: Erysiphe vaccinii Schwein.; (syns. Microsphaera alni (Wallr.:Fr.) G. Winter var. vaccinii (Schwein.) E. S. Salmon; Microsphaera penicillata (Wallr.:Fr.) Lév. f. vaccinii Jacz.; Microsphaera penicillata (Wallr.:Fr.) Lév. var. vaccinii (Schwein.) W. B. Cooke; Microsphaera vaccinii (Schwein.) Cooke & Peck)
Red leaf: Exobasidium sp.; Exobasidium vaccinii (Fuckel) Woronin
Septoria leaf spot (highbush, southern highbush, and rabbiteye blueberries): Septoria albopunctata Cooke
Septoria leaf spot and stem canker (lowbush blueberry): Septoria sp.
Silver leaf: Chondrostereum purpureum (Pers.: Fr.) Pouzar
Sooty blotch: Discostroma spp.; Hormonema spp.; Microcyclospora spp.; Pseudocercospora spp.; Rhizosphaera spp.
Stem blotch: Cercospora sp.
Trichoderma fruit rot: Trichoderma spp.
Valdensinia leaf spot: Valdensia heterodoxa Peyronel; (syn. Valdensinia heterodoxa Peyronel)
Witches’-broom: Pucciniastrum goeppertianum (J. G. Kühn) Kleb.

NEMATODES (PARASITIC)

Awl nematode: Dolichodorus heterocephalus Cobb
Cyst nematode: Meloidodera floridensis Chitwood, Hannon, & Esser
Dagger nematodes: Xiphinema americanum Cobb; Xiphinema chambersi Thorne; Xiphinema rivesi Dalmasso
Lance nematode: Hoplolaimus galeatus (Cobb) Thorne; (syn. Hoplolaimus tylenchiformis Andrassy)
Pin nematode: Paratylenchus projectus Jenkins
Ring nematodes: Bakernema inaequale (Taylor) Mehta & Raski; (syn. Criconema inaequale Taylor); Crossonema menzeli (Stefanski) Schuurmans Stekhoven & Tenunissen; (syn. Criconema menzeli (Stefanski) Taylor); Mesocriconema ornatum Raski; Mesocriconema xenoplax (Raski) Loof & De Grisse; (syns. Criconemoides xenoplax Raski; Criconemella xenoplax (Raski) Luc & Raski; Macroposthonia xenoplax (Raski) De Grisse & Loof)
Root-knot nematode: Meloidogyne carolinensis Eisenback
Root lesion nematodes: Pratylenchus crenatus Loof; (syn. Pratylenchus pratensis (de Man) Filipjev); Pratylenchus penetrans (Cobb) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven
Sheath nematodes: Hemicycliophora ritteri Brizuela; Hemicycliophora uniformis Thorne; Hemicycliophora vaccinium Reed & Jenkins; (syn. Hemicycliophora gracilis Thorne); Hemicycliophora vidua Raski; (syn. Hemicycliophora similis Thorne); Hemicycliophora zuckermani Brzeski
Spiral nematodes: Helicotylenchus dihystera (Cobb) Sher; (syn. Helicotylenchus nannus Steiner); Helicotylenchus erythrinae (Zimmermann) Golden; Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus Steiner; Rotylenchus goodeyi Loof & Oostenbrink; (syn. Helicotylenchus goodeyi (Loof & Oostenbrink) Perry); Rotylenchus robustus (de Man) Filipjev; (syn. Rotylenchus uniformis (Thorne) Loof & Oostenbrink)
Stem nematode: Ditylenchus sp.
Stubby root nematodes: Paratrichodorus minor (Colbran) Siddiqi; (syn. Trichodorus christei Allen); Paratrichodorus renifer Siddiqi; Trichodorus aequalis Allen
Stunt nematodes: Merlinius joctus (Thorne) Sher; (syn. Tetylenchus joctus Thorne); Tylenchorhynchus claytoni Steiner; Tylenchorhynchus dubius (Butschli) Filipjev; Tylenchorhynchus maximus Allen

OOMYCETE DISEASE

Phytophthora root rot: Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands

PARASITIC PLANT

Dodder: Cuscuta compacta Juss. ex Choisy

PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS

Environmental disorders: Cold injury; Salt injury; Water stress
Nutritional disorders: Boron deficiency; Boron toxicity; Calcium deficiency; Copper deficiency; Copper toxicity; Iron deficiency; Manganese deficiency; Manganese toxicity; Magnesium deficiency; Nitrogen deficiency; Nitrogen toxicity; Phosphorous deficiency; Phosphorous toxicity; Potassium deficiency; Sulfur deficiency; Zinc deficiency
Pesticide toxicity injury: 2,4-D; Diuron; Glyphosate; Hexazinone; Norflurazon; Paraquat; Simazine; Terbacil

VIRAL DISEASES

Blueberry latent spherical virus (BLSV)—genus Nepovirus; family Secoviridae
Blueberry latent virus (BBLV)—genus Amalgavirus; family Amalgaviridae
Blueberry virus A (BVA)—genus Closterovirus; family Closteroviridae
Fruit drop: Virus—possibly a new genus; family Caulimoviridae
Leaf mottle: Blueberry leaf mottle virus (BLMV)—genus Nepovirus; family Secoviridae
Mosaic: Blueberry mosaic associated virus (BlMaV)—genus Ophiovirus; family Ophioviridae
Necrotic ring blotch: Associated with Blueberry necrotic ring blotch virus (BNRBV)—genus Cilevirus; family unassigned
Necrotic ringspot: Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV)—genus Nepovirus; family Secoviridae
Peach rosette mosaic: Peach rosette mosaic virus (PRMV)—genus Nepovirus; family Secoviridae
Red ringspot: Blueberry red ringspot virus (BRRSV)—genus Soymovirus; family Caulimoviridae
Scorch: Blueberry scorch virus (BlScV)—genus Carlavirus; family Betaflexiviridae
Shock: Blueberry shock virus (BlShV)—genus Ilarvirus; family Bromoviridae
Shoestring: Blueberry shoestring virus (BSSV)—genus Sobemovirus; family unassigned
Tomato ringspot: Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV)— genus Nepovirus; family Secoviridae