Cane Blight

Cane blight usually affects only canes that have been wounded in their vegetative year. It sporadically attacks canes of all Rubus species. Black raspberry is more susceptible to this disease than the other brambles.

Symptoms
All symptoms of cane blight occur in close association with wounds. Infection occurs in late spring or early summer through pruning and insect wounds. In the spring, buds fail to break dormancy, lateral shoots wilt, or fruiting canes die when the fruit begins to ripen. Canes are usually brittle at the point of infection, and may break if bent. Symptoms appear late in the season on new shoots where plants have been pruned. Infected areas are brownish purple and develop from the cut ends. Branches originating in the infected areas wilt and die. Fruiting canes show a sudden wilting of branches when the fruit begins to ripen. Weakened canes are more susceptible to winter injury.

For more information, please see this Penn State Fruit Production Web page.

Penn State Horticulture Department

For more information on this subject, Please visit the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Web site.

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