Are there any diseases that seriously threaten the avocado industry?
Root rot and anthracnose are the two main diseases that threaten the Queensland avocado industry. Root rot is caused by the soil-borne fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands and, as its name suggests, affects the roots of avocado trees. Anthracnose is caused the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz and Sacc (Teleomorph: Glomerella cingulata) and presents as a fruit rot that remains latent until the fruit ripens. Fruit infected with anthracnose can rarely be identified at packing and is usually only discovered at the point of preparation by the consumer.
