Why Does My Bergamot Orange Look Sickly?

Did the fruit change color prematurely, brown or black lesions are present on young twigs, leaves, and fruit?

Are there any small, brown, or black spots and speckles on rinds of fruit, fruit yield is reduced?

Does the fruit have raised, light brown, corky areas on them?

Are the leaves covered with white powder?

Are there any lesions with gray centers and chlorotic halos on leaves, circular or irregularly shaped flat lesions are present on mature fruit?

Does the fruit insides contain webbing?

Do the leaves have pale yellow stipple?

Are there any blisters on leaves with surrounding tissue turning yellow, lesions on stems and twigs are raised, corky and dark brown to black with a water-soaked margin?

These symptoms indicate a fungal disease - Alternaria brown spot. Avoid overhead irrigation and excessive application of nitrogen. Plants that are stressed are more susceptible to the disease, ensure plants are provided with water and fertilizer. Delaying harvest until diseased fruit has dropped from a tree can reduce the number of fruit lost to the disease post-harvest.

Black spot is a fungal disease spread by wind and water splash. It is most prominent in the Southern hemisphere. Remove leaf litter from around trees to reduce inoculum. Keep trees well irrigated during dry periods to reduce leaf fall. Apply copper-containing fungicides where appropriate.

Citrus scab is a fungal disease that attacks citruses like Bergamot orange. To control citrus scab, prune, and site trees so that foliage and fruit remain as dry as possible during spring growth.

White, powdery patches on the leaves are caused by a fungal disease Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew usually appears in damp places. Encourage good air circulation around the affected plants by thining them and any surrounding plants. Avoid wetting the foliage when watering. Any affected leaves should be cut off and removed. A fungicidal spray may be necessary to protect your plant from further infections.

Pseudocercospora leaf and fruit spot is a fungal disease that can be devastating to Bergamot trees. Spray plants with a copper fungicide early in the season to protect it.

Navel orangeworms are reddish-orange, brown-headed larvae that bore into cracked fruit and spin their cocoons inside. Control pests by picking off damaged fruit. Clean up dropped fruit. Spray BTK to kill larvae before they enter.

Citrus mites are tiny spiderlike insects that attack citrus leaves and fruits. Fruits may turn silver or brown and drop prematurely. The simplest mite remedy is to hose down the tree with plain water or insecticidal soap solution. For more serious infestations, spray superior oil. The introduction of predatory mites, such as Amblyseius species is a good control method.

Canker is a bacterial disease that can be serious in humid tropical and subtropical areas. It spreads rapidly over short distances. Control of the disease is reliant on timely sprays of copper fungicides and the provision of windbreaks to reduce the spread of inoculum from infected trees.

Pale green or yellow leaves in citrus trees usually mean nutrient deficiency. If old leaves turn yellow and drop off, suspect nitrogen deficiency and if young leaves turn yellow with green veins, suspect an iron deficiency. To correct nitrogen deficiency, apply an organic nitrogen source directly to the soil. To correct iron deficiency, adjust the soil pH to be more acidic.