Pear: Stony pit

Biology

Stony pit is a virus disease of pears apparently spread by vegetative propagation (budding, grafting, rooting cuttings). Insects are not known to carry the virus. The disease primarily affects the fruit. Dark green areas appear on young fruit. The areas become pitted, with tissue in the pits becoming hardened and sometimes dying. Affected fruits may be mildly to severely deformed. Severity of the disease varies from fruit to fruit and from year to year. Young leaves of infected trees may show a faint mottling and bark may be “pimpled” or cracked. Severe symptoms have been seen on the cultivars ‘Bosc’, ‘Comice’, and ‘Seckel’.

Management Options

Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.

Non-chemical Management

Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!

• Remove infected trees.
• Plant and propagate using only certified virus-free materials.

Chemical Management

IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.

• None recommended.