Gray Wall (syn: Blotchy Ripening)

Causal Agent

Distribution

Symptoms

Conditions for Development

Control

Causal Agent

Undetermined etiology

Distribution

Worldwide

Symptoms

Symptoms are first observed as flattened, blotchy, brownish-gray areas that develop on green fruit. As the fruit mature these blotchy areas remain gray or turn yellow, resulting in uneven ripening. When the fruit is cut open, dark brown vascular tissue can be seen in the fruit walls.

Gray Wall: internal brown vascular tissue. (Courtesy of Gary Vallad, University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center)

Gray Wall: dark-brown vascular tissue in fruit walls. (Courtesy of Ed Sikora, Auburn University, Bugwood.org)

Conditions for Development

Environmental factors that appear to be associated with this disorder are high nitrogen. low potassium, high soil moisture, high humidity, temperature fluctuations, low light intensity and soil compaction. In addition, certain bacteria, fungi and/or tomato mosaic virus are thought to be involved in gray wall.