Agricultural Marketing Service, Specialty Crops Program, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

This PATCH represents official guidance. This PATCH is scheduled to be incorporated into the 

document listed above. After incorporation into the document listed above this PATCH will 

become obsolete. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

PATCH #034 Strawberries and Other Berries (August 17, 2018) 

SCI Division Inspection Series

Page 1 of 1 

PATCH # 034

DOCUMENT: Shipping Point Inspection Instructions and Market Inspection Instructions, 

dated August 2004, for Strawberries and Other Berries.

REMARKS: 

Defect description with new heading and visual aid reference for Late Leaf Rust (Q) and White 

Drupelet Disorder (Q) will be added. 

Late Leaf Rust (Q)

On berries, small pustules develop on individual drupelets, producing yellow masses of spores. 

Pustules on the fruit do not usually develop until late in the season; infections in plantings of 

summer-bearing varieties may go unnoticed.

Scoring Guide

Damage: When affecting more than 2 individual drupelets.

Serious damage: When affecting more than 5 individual drupelets.

Visual Aid: Refer to USDA RSP-1 photo. 

White Drupelet Disorder (Q)

Raspberries are susceptible to White Drupelet Disorder which can recognized by tan or white 

discoloration of the drupelets. Several explanations of causal factors for this condition on 

raspberries include, sunscald and UV radiation, stinkbug damage and red berry mite feeding.. 

The term “White Drupelet” will be used to describe this defect for both damage and serious 

damage. 

Scoring Guide

Damage: When affecting 2 or more individual drupelets.

Serious damage: When affecting more than 5 individual drupelets.
This PATCH represents official guidance. This PATCH is scheduled to be incorporated into the 

document listed on the first page. After incorporation into the document listed above this 

PATCH will become obsolete.

PATCH #034 Strawberries and Other Berries (August 17, 2018) 

SCI Division Inspection Series

Page 2 of 2 

Visual Aid: Refer to USDA RSP-2 photo. 

Defect description and visual aid reference for Red Drupelet Disorder in Blackberries (C) will be 

added. 

Red Drupelet Disorder (C)

This disorder is specific to blackberries. Red drupelet disorder causes the individual drupelets to 

be swollen and have a dark or light reddish blue to bright red coloring affecting some but not all 

of the drupelets in a mostly random pattern. The reasons for this disorder are not completely 

understood but may be related to transit or storage temperature. Blackberries harvested with a 

deep blue or black color can develop this defect after storage. Contributing factors may be due 

to loss of pigment from water contact or from cultivar-dependent red drupelet disorder. “Red 

Drupelet” will be used to describe this defect for both damage and serious damage.

Scoring Guide

Slight discoloration affecting individual drupelets that are reddish black or reddish blue and 

blend in color are not considered a defect. Discoloration that is noticeably bluish red to bright 

red and do not blend in color will be scored as damage and serious damage. It is important to 

consider the color and number of affected drupelets. The brighter or more distinct the 

discoloration, the fewer affected drupelets are allowed.

Damage: When materially detracts from the appearance. 

Serious damage: When seriously detracts from the appearance.

Visual Aid: Refer to USDA BLK-1 photo.