In the southern region of Georgia, recent bouts of warmer than normal weather and earlier than normal emergence of leaves has led to the question of whether there is currently a risk of mummy berry infections developing. According to the mummy berry model developed by Dr. Harald Scherm (UGA), as of January 15th, 2019 there remains a LOW RISK for mummy berry disease initiation at this time.
Epidemics of mummy berry disease are set-up by the synchronized release of fungal ascospores and the emergence of green leaves in blueberries, which leads to subsequent leaf strikes. Since the fungus that causes the epidemic has similar chill-hour requirements for germination to the chill-hour requirements for native blueberry species, this means that ascospore release is synchronized with leaf development in rabbiteye blueberries. Infections occur when rabbiteye varieties reach green tip or early bloom (whichever comes first). Regarding southern highbush varieties, if the leaf tissue is at green tip or early emergence, it can be infected with mummy berry as well; however, prior work has not confirmed mummy berry on southern highbush varieties in Georgia, since most of the time southern highbush varieties here escape the initial infections due to earlier plant development. By contrast, some highbush varieties elsewhere in the southeast can be severely affected, and if the correct environmental conditions occur on southern highbush varieties in Georgia, it should be assumed that these can likely develop mummy berry as well.
For management of mummy berry on rabbiteye blueberries, fungicides with activity against mummy berry should be applied starting at green tip or early bloom, whichever comes first. Additional information on fungicides which are available for management of mummy berry can be found in the Southeast Regional Blueberry Integrated Management Guide at www.smallfruits.org.
