If conditions are warm and sunny, only the ghost spots remain without any further disease progression. The fungus that causes infection, Botrytis cinerea , is ubiquitous and affects many species of plants. Cool, wet weather worsens the disease. Fungicides can be used to prevent the spread of infection. This disease commonly affects both fruit and foliage.
Lesions are black or brown, firm, - inches in diameter, and slightly sunken.
Upon close inspection of the lesion you will notice concentric rings. Fruit lesions often begin near the stem end of the fruit. Early blight lesions are often confused with those of Alternaria listed below since both are caused by fungi in the same genus Alternaria . Early blight is caused by Alternaria solani while alternaria fruit rot is caused by A. alteranata f.sp. Cool, humid conditions precipitate disease development.