Definition

Noun: 1. A type of plant disease caused by fungi: "Brown rot" is a specific category of fungal diseases that affect plants, particularly fruit trees. The disease is characterized by the affected plant tissues turning brown, becoming soft, and decaying.

Usage

• "Brown rot" is used as a non-count noun to refer to the disease in general.
• It is often specified by the host plant (e.g., brown rot of peaches, brown rot of plums).

Examples

• The peach harvest was severely damaged by brown rot after the wet spring.
• To prevent brown rot, gardeners must remove all mummified fruit from the trees.
• This fungicide is effective against several common diseases, including brown rot.

Advanced Usage

• "Brown rot fungus": Refers to the specific fungi that cause the disease, primarily from the genus .
  • The brown rot fungus can survive the winter in infected fruit on the ground.

Variants and Related Words

• Brown-rot (adj): Used as a modifier to describe things related to the disease.
  • The orchard has a significant brown-rot problem this season.

Synonyms

• Fungal decay: A more general term for decay caused by fungi.
• Fruit rot: A broader category of diseases that includes brown rot.

Notes on Different Meanings

• The term "brown rot" is specific to plant pathology. It should not be confused with "dry rot" in timber, which is a different fungal decay process, or with the natural browning of foods.

Noun

1. any of certain fungous diseases of plants characterized by browning and decay of tissues