APICAL NECROSIS OF WALNUT FRUIT

General description
Apical necrosis of walnut fruit is a new disease of Persian (English) walnut (Juglans
regia L.) that affects most Mediterranean walnut production areas. The disease causes
premature fruit drop and consequently a yield reduction (Fig. 1).
The apical necrosis was first observed in the late 90s following an intense early fruit
drop and was found to affect the main walnut production areas in Spain [1, 2], France
[5, 6] and Italy [3]. Recently, important yield losses caused by premature walnut fruit
drop have also been recorded in the Marmara Region in Turkey [9].

Disease symptoms
Symptoms consist of apical necrosis originating at the stigmatic end of the nuts. Initial
external symptoms appear after fruit set as small dark brown or blackish non watersoaked lesions. As the fruit grows, symptoms become more evident, with 2 to 15 mm
brown dry lesions, often circular and with regular margins. Later, lesions can become
larger and more irregular (Fig. 2A). These lesions differ from black water-soaked spots
on fruit end caused by common bacterial blight of walnut (Xanthomonas arboricola pv.
juglandis).
Internally, apical necrosis infection progresses from the epicarp to the mesocarp and
can reach the seed. The epicarp and mesocarp lesions are dry and hard but rot
develops when the seed is affected. After shell hardening, new lesions remain
restricted to epicarp and mesocarp (Figure 2B). Apical necrosis in dropped fruits is
more severe and extended to all internal tissues than in fruits that remain attached to
the tree (Figure 2C). Sometimes the extent of external and internal lesions is not
correlated, and small external necrosis can be associated with severe infection
affecting all internal fruit tissues [7] (Figure 3). Infections can be observed in walnut
fruits from fruit set to harvest, but they are more intense at early fruit development
stages, when cause major fruit drop.

Causal organism
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) is the microorganism most frequently
associated with apical necrosis of walnut. This bacterium has been isolated from apical
necrosis lesions of fruits in Spanish, French and Turkish walnut orchards. Xaj is
consistently present throughout the growing season in tissues of fruits either laying on
the ground or still attached to the tree. Fungi can also be recovered from apical
necrosis lesions in association with bacteria. Fusarium and Alternaria species are the
most frequently found, mainly at the end of fruit growing period, on external tissues of

dropped fruits in the orchard ground. According to recent studies and pathogenicity
tests, Xaj is considered the main causal agent of apical necrosis of walnut whereas
Fusarium spp. can occasionally be involved in the disease, interacting with bacterial
infections. The presence of Alternaria spp. on necrotic tissues may be related to the
opportunistic colonization of dead tissues previously infected by the bacteria [7].
Despite symptoms on fruits and effects on premature fruit drop are similar to apical
necrosis, etiological studies on brown apical necrosis or BAN affecting Italian walnut
orchards led to consider BAN as a complex disease in which Fusarium species can play
an important role together with a complex of morphologically diverse, small-spored
catenulate Alternaria spp. [3,4].

Figure 1. Premature fruit drop of walnut fruits affected by apical necrosis.

Figure 2. External symptoms of apical necrosis in young fruits collected from

walnut tree (A). Internal symptoms of apical necrosis in fruits collected from
walnut tree (B) or dropped to the soil (C).

Figure 3. External and internal extent of necrosis is not always correlated.

Figure 4. Colonies of Xanthomonas arboricola

pv. juglandis isolated from apical necrosis
lesions in walnut fruits, growing on modified
Tween Medium.

Cultivar susceptibility
According to field observations in affected areas, most commercial walnut cultivars are
susceptible to apical necrosis. Amigo, Chandler, Hartley, Lara, Mayette,
Rendede, Serr, and Vina are considered highly susceptible, together with the
Turkish cultivar Bilecik. Franquette, Payne and Pedro are less affected by apical
necrosis in some walnut-growing areas, similarly as Howard. Local Turkish cvs. Yalova
1, Yalova 2, Yalova 4 and Sebin are reported slightly susceptible.

Disease epidemiology
Apical necrosis infections are more frequent and severe in the early fruit
developmental stages. Initial infections occur after fruit set and if environmental
conditions are favourable, infection spreads externally and internally trough the
walnut fruit tissues. Infections produced after shell hardening remain restricted to the
pericarp. The highest epidemics increase occurs from fruit set to the beginning of tip
hardening in shell. In this period the most extensive fruit drop is produced.

Infection progress from external to internal fruit tissues suggests that epiphytic
populations of Xaj may act as the primary inoculum source. Pathogenic Fusarium spp.
may also be involved in apical necrosis of walnut causing secondary infections or
colonization on tissues infected already by bacteria, enhancing disease symptoms and
severity. In dropped fruits, secondary colonizers such as Alternaria spp. could
contribute to fruit rot.
Environmental conditions favorable to apical necrosis are not yet clearly determined.
However, local wet and warm conditions during the walnut fruit initial growing period
enhance the disease incidence and severity.
Apical necrosis could be partially related to crop nutritional problems in addition to
microbial infection. Phenolic contents of walnut fruits could predispose trees to
infection and enhance apical necrosis severity. Some soil conditions as light texture,
acidic soils, low manganese and magnesium contents and nutrient deficiencies (mainly
phosphorous and calcium) also seem to predispose trees to apical necrosis [6].

Disease control
Most epidemiological aspects of the disease are still unknown. Preventive sprays with
copper derivates applied according to the schedule proposed for walnut blight control
[8] contribute to reduce the incidence of apical necrosis. Removal of mummified nuts
from the trees and dropped fruits from the orchard ground reduces inoculum pressure
and may prevent further yield losses. Appropriate soil characteristics and walnut
fertilization help to reduce the damage [6].

REFERENCES
1. Alet N., Ninot A., 2002. La bactriose et la ncrose apicale du noyer en Espagne.
InfoNOIX 19:8.
2. Arquero O., Lovera M., Rodriguez R., Salguero A., Trapero A., 2005. Characterization
and development of necrotic lesions of walnut tree fruits in southern spain. Acta
Horticulturae 705: 457-461
3. Belisario A., Maccaroni M., Corazza L., Balmas V., Valier A., 2002. Occurrence and
etiology of brown apical necrosis on Persian (English) walnut fruit. Plant Disease 86:
599-602.
4. Belisario A., Maccaroni M., Coramusi A., Corazza L., Figuli P., Pryor B.M., 2004.
First report of Alternaria species groups involved in disease complexes of hazelnut and
walnut fruit. Plant Disease 88: 404.
5. Bouvet G., 2005. Walnut blight-apical necrosis: test of agronomic control. Acta
Horticulturae 705: 447-449.

6. Garcin A., Duchesne D., 2001. Walnut blight and apical necrosis. Acta Horticulturae
544: 379-387.
7. Moragrega C., and zaktan H., 2010. Apical necrosis of Persian (English) walnut
(Juglans regia): an update. Journal of Plant Pathology 92:67-71
8. Ninot A., Alet N., Moragrega C., Montesinos E., 2002. Evaluation of a reduced
copper program to control bacterial blight of walnut. Plant Disease 86: 583-587.
9. zaktan H., Akat S., Akkpr A., Yavas M. 2009. Etiological approach to brown
apical necrosis on walnut fruits in Turkey. Files of the COST 873 WG1-4 Meeting: Active
research to combat bacterial diseases of stone fruits and nuts resistance and Control
strategies against bacterial diseases of stone fruits and nuts. Cetara 2009. Available
from: http://www.cost873.ch/_uploads/_files/Hozaktan_BANTurkey_Italy_1.pdf

Created under the COST 873 frame by STF2.2 Meeting Advances in research on Brown
Apical Necrosis of walnut fruit. Etiological conclusions. Girona 15-16 July 2010.
Contact: concepcio.moragrega@udg.edu