What to observe

• Localized browning, collapse, or soft decay inside flowers
• Gray-brown sporulation under favorable conditions
• Damage following prolonged wetness, condensation, injury, or dense flower development
• Affected tissue that separates from healthy material abnormally

Common look-alikes

• Normal late-stage browning
• Mechanical injury
• Caterpillar damage with secondary decay
• Other fungal or bacterial rots

Evidence that improves confirmation

• Inspect the interior of suspicious flower tissue carefully
• Document wetness/condensation and progression
• Use microscopy or laboratory testing when definitive identification is important

Risk context

• Dense flowers can trap moisture
• Rain, condensation, and prolonged high moisture increase risk
• Wounded or senescing tissues can be vulnerable entry points

Management principles

• Isolate affected material and avoid spreading spores/debris
• Remove contaminated tissue according to site policy
• Address moisture, condensation, and canopy airflow problems
• Use lawful, crop-appropriate disease controls and protect post-harvest material from contaminated batches

Keep the conclusion proportional to the evidence

Use a confirmed identification when available. When evidence is incomplete, label the conclusion as a suspicion or differential rather than presenting it as proven.

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