Monilinia fructicola, Monilinia laxa (Monilinia Rot, Brown Rot)

The importance of brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. in stone fruits is evident worldwide, as are the difficulties for controlling the disease development (www.monilinia.org). Although the infections occur in the field, fruit losses are prevalent in the postharvest phase and the control means, proposed until now, are insufficient in different ways. Disease control obtained with fungicide treatments in the pre- and postharvest phases involves a considerable impact on the environment and on human health. The appearance of fungicide resistance in Monilinia spp. isolates notably reduces their effectiveness and no fungicide applications are allowed after harvest in Europe. As reviewed, even though significant progress has been achieved in the reduction of pesticide use with the different alternative methods, it seems to be unrealistic to assume that these methods have the same fungicidal activity as fungicides. In this scenario, a multidisciplinary approach that integrates sanitary and alternative strategies has to be investigated more fully. This new strategy for managing brown rot in a sustainable model will start from an adequate prevention of pathogen spread by agronomic interventions.