The document describes several pests and diseases that affect fig trees, including their symptoms, causes, and management strategies. It discusses blister mites that cause russetted leaves and transmit fig mosaic virus. It also mentions a beetle pest that bores holes in fruit and a fungus that causes fruit rot. Finally, it covers a virus transmitted by fig mites or grafting, and a fungal disease that causes cankers and blighted shoots in wet, cool springs. Management includes applying oils or sulfur sprays, removing debris, and pruning out infected areas.

3.  Symptoms
 Blisters on surface of leaves which cause
leaves to be russetted; twigs may be
stunted and leaves may drop from trees.
 Cause
 Arachnid
 Comments
 Blister mites transmit fig mosaic virus;
mites undergo several generations per
year.
 Management
 Applications of hoticultural oils or sulfur
sprays are effective at controlling blister
mites and should be applied if the mites
were a problem the previous year;
chemical treatments should be applied
before bloom.

4.  Symptoms
 Holes in fruit; staining of fruit surface from
insect excrement; adult insect is a moderate
sized green beetle reaching approx. 3 cm
(1.2 in in length) which has a distinct horn
on its head; larvae are cream colored grubs
with a brown head.
 Cause
 Insect
 Comments
 Larvae pupate in cells in the soil in late
spring; insect undergoes one generation per
year.
 Management
 Remove dead leaves and other crop debris
from the orchard floor; allowing the orchard
floor to dry out and harden prevents the
adults emerging in the Spring; saturating
the soil with water for a period of 2 days will
kill off any eggs and larvae.

6.  Symptoms
 Small, olive-green specks or sunken yellow-olive
lesions covered in green spores on fruit; water-
soaked areas on fruit surface where figs touch;
 Cause
 Fungi
 Comments
 Fungi over winter in plant debris. C.
herbarum usually more common on green
fruit, Alternaria spp. primarily a problem on ripe
fruit.
 Management
 Rot can be minimized by picking fruit before it
becomes overripe; reducing dust in orchards may
also help to reduce the incidence of rot.

7.  Symptoms
 Yellow spots and mottling on foliage; margins
of spots are diffuse and blend gradually back
into the green of the leaf; spots may be
distributed uniformly across the leaf surface or
as irregular patches; mature lesions develop a
brown-red band around their margin.
 Cause
 Virus
 Comments
 Transmitted by fig mites or by grafting from
infected tree.
 Management
 Do not collect propagation material from any
trees showing symptoms of disease; controlling
fig mites may help to reduce incidence of
disease.

8.  Symptoms
 Cankers above and below fruit; shoots
dying back; buff colored spores on shoots
in late winter or early spring; blighted
shoots; foliage on infected shoots wilting
and turning light green or brown.
 Cause
 Fungus
 Comments
 Disease emergence favors wet, cool
springs.
 Management
 Infected areas of trees should be pruned
out beginning just below the canker.