Editing Apricot (section)

=== Pests and diseases ===
{{Main|List of apricot diseases}}

Apricots are susceptible to various diseases whose relative importance differs in the major production regions as a consequence of their climatic differences. For example, hot weather as experienced in California's Central Valley often causes pit burn, a condition of soft and brown fruit around the pit.<ref>{{cite book | last = Ingels| first= Chuck |display-authors=etal | title=The Home Orchard: Growing Your Own Deciduous Fruit and Nut Trees|isbn=978-1-879906-72-3 | page=27 | year=2007 | publisher=University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources}}</ref> Bacterial diseases include bacterial spot and crown gall. Fungal diseases include brown rot caused by ''[[Monilinia fructicola]]'': infection of the blossom by rainfall leads to "blossom wilt"<ref name=Hessayon2004>{{cite book|title=The Fruit Expert|author=Hessayon, D.G. |author-link = D. G. Hessayon|publisher=Expert Books|year=2004|location=London}}</ref> whereby the blossoms and young shoots turn brown and die; the twigs die back in a severe attack; brown rot of the fruit is due to ''Monilinia'' infection later in the season. Dieback of branches in the summer is attributed to the fungus ''[[Eutypa lata]]'', where examination of the base of the dead branch reveals a canker surrounding a pruning wound.<ref name=Munkvold2001>{{cite journal|last1=Munkvold|first1=Gary P.|title=Eutypa Dieback of Grapevine and Apricot|journal=Plant Health Progress|year=2001|volume=2|issue=1 |page=9|doi=10.1094/PHP-2001-0219-01-DG|doi-access=free|bibcode=2001PlaHP...2....9M }}</ref> Other fungal diseases are [[Dibotryon morbosum|black knot]], ''Alternaria'' spot and fruit rot, and [[powdery mildew]].<ref>[http://www.apsnet.org/publications/commonnames/Pages/Apricot.aspx Diseases of Apricot] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624050543/http://www.apsnet.org/publications/commonnames/Pages/Apricot.aspx |date=2016-06-24 }}. The American Phytopathological Society</ref> Unlike peaches, apricots are not affected by [[leaf curl]], and bacterial canker (causing sunken patches in the bark, which then spread and kill the affected branch or tree) and silver leaf are not serious threats, which means that pruning in late winter is considered safe.<ref name=Hessayon2004 />