LOOK FOR

Look for in shoots
• Patches of soft brown rot on young stems
  
  Look for in leaves
• V-shaped brown areas (with a yellow margin) between the main veins
• Circular brown areas where physical damage has occurred
  
  Look for in bunches
• Small brown spots with ‘slip’ skin on soft berries
• Buff-grey spore masses where skin has cracked after damage or periods of high humidity
• Bunches with grey, mouldy growth
  

   CONDITIONS

• Spreads rapidly in moist periods especially once the berries soften near harvest
• Because it is difficult to see Botrytis in flowers or young bunches, use the 'bag test'. Store bags for 5-7 days, then look for the characteristic grey mould.
• Varieties with thin-skinned berries and/or tight bunches are the most susceptible.
• Young leaves, bunches and shoots recently damaged by lightbrown apple moth (or other insects), by wind or rain splitting, or by cultural operations, are more likely to become infected.