Freezing Blackberry Cobbler

Red Berry Disease - 2

You need to dispose of any of these berries with "Red Berry Disease."

The eriophyoid mite, Acalitus essigi (Hassan), is hypothesised to be responsible for redberry disease of blackberry (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.) fruit. Infested fruit ripen unevenly with affected drupelets becoming hard, inedible and bright red, whereas unaffected drupelets ripen evenly. As a first step toward possible control of this disease, the method and timing of dispersal of A. essigi onto developing blackberry fruit was examined. No mites were found on unopened flower buds or open flowers. However, infestation of fruit was found to commence during the green stage of fruit development and significantly increase during the red fruit stage.