Weird scabbing on Lula avocado fruit??? Need an avocado guru for help.

[chrobrego]

Hi,

I have a formerly healthy Lula avocado tree here in Florida.  Every year the fruit was beautiful, but last year the fruit started to scab.   I thought it was because of a cold spell, but it's happening again this year.  What could this be? Secondly, how do I fix it?   

Could this be thrips damage? I'm not an avocado expert, so I'm guessing.  If so, would a systematic insecticide like Bayer Fruit knock the little #$%# out? 

Any avocado experts out there?

Thanks,

Shawn

[Avofan]

Anthracnose?

[Orkine]

I had one years ago and it was very prone to scabbing.  I had read somewhere that this was an issue with this variety in my area.  Wished I had known it was Anthracnose. 
I decided to chop it off and replace with Oro negro at the time.  The scabbing was a big part but also the large seed to flesh ration was unacceptable.

[JakeFruit]

Anthracnose wouldn't be my first guess; I don't see any signs of it on the leaves and it looks like whatever it is happened earlier in fruit development and the fruit has healed (scabbed). Anthracnose on fruit doesn't usually heal, it festers and eventually penetrates. Some of your fruit does appear to have sunken scab spots, but most seem to have only superficial scabbing. What does the flesh underneath the scabs look like?


Carlos would probably pinpoint the issue(s), hopefully he sees this thread. I'd guess it was bugs, nutritional or weather-related.

[achetadomestica]

I read that Lula is prone to scabbing in humid areas
Last year my friends tree had hundreds of fruit and they were
scabbed over. The seed was large but the taste was exceptional.
They ripened from Nov through Jan
Johnb51 did a post last year and had a picture of some Lulas and they
were very clean? I planted some seeds this year for rootstock and
plan to graft my friend's Lula scions. I don't sell the fruit and the
scabs were cosmetic only

[drymifolia]

Yeah that looks like scab fungus (Sphaceloma perseae), so that's what I'd research how to treat. I assume there's some kind of antifungal spray that would work. Here's what the UF/IFAS Plant Disease Management Guide for avocados recommends:

Efficacy trials indicate that copper fungicides seem to give good control and Folpet is also labeled for controlling avocado scab (Table 1). The Pseudocercospora spray program works for scab, but if you're growing Lula it requires 3 additional sprays. Timed as follows:

just as the bloom bud opens (late January),

near the end of the main bloom period (mid February-March), and

3-4 weeks after all the fruit have set in a normal season.

Edit: There is a documented relationship between thrips and this fungus, so you may also have a thrips problem, but if you only spray for insects that won't clear the fungus from your tree once it's that thoroughly entrenched in the leaf/stem tissues.

[fruitmonger]

Lula has always been known as a variety that is very susceptible to scab.

The scabbing does not affect yield or quality of the flesh.

This variety is still grown commercially but is growing out of favor because the appearance makes it hard to market.

If it really bothers you you can top work the tree to Monroe, Hall or Choquette

[johnb51]

Yes, the fruit I harvested last season was pretty clean, and the flavor was very good. After putting out tons of fruit last year, the tree didn't even blossom this year.

[fruitmonger]

Yes, the fruit I harvested last season was pretty clean, and the flavor was very good. After putting out tons of fruit last year, the tree didn't even blossom this year.

This years weather in the Fall/Winter has made for a terrible fruit set on S Florida avocado.

All avocado here are going to yield low quantities this year....some none at all.

Almost all trees bloomed vigorously but then we got a cold spell that made trees drop all of that bloom.

Most bloomed again and then set some fruit.....then we had a very dry spell that led to a fruitlet drop.

It was not varietal or anything like that.....this years crop will be light....very very light

[achetadomestica]

Yes, the fruit I harvested last season was pretty clean, and the flavor was very good. After putting out tons of fruit last year, the tree didn't even blossom this year.

My friend's tree also never bloomed this year?

[memerguy78]

It's called ambarella. Asians love to eat this fruit.

territorial io