> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://badixth-dc85e378.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Diagnose and Respond to Black Rot (Chalara paradoxa) in Pineapple

> Identify black rot (Chalara / Thielaviopsis) in pineapple as post-harvest water-soaked black lesions on fruit, and control with careful handling, cool storage, and fungicide dip.

Black rot, caused by **Chalara paradoxa** (Thielaviopsis paradoxa), is the main post-harvest fruit rot of pineapple. It enters through wounds on the fruit surface (bruises, cuts, sunburn cracks, insect feeding) and turns fruit into a water-soaked black mess within days at warm temperatures. This is a handling and cold-chain problem, not a field-spray problem.

**Regional priority:** Universal on any pineapple destined for storage or long-distance transport.

## When pineapple is most vulnerable

From **harvest onward**. Field infection can start on sunburned or wounded fruit before harvest, but visible black rot develops post-harvest at warm temperatures.

## How black rot shows in satellite data

* Not visible at satellite scale.
* Field predisposing factors (sunburn zones, wind damage, insect damage) are visible; these blocks are at elevated post-harvest risk.

## Field symptoms

* **Water-soaked lesions** on the fruit surface, starting at wounds
* **Rapid darkening** to soft, black, foul-smelling rot within 3 to 5 days at warm temperature
* **Black soot-like spores** on the rotted tissue
* **Highest incidence** on sunburned, wind-damaged, or thrips-scarred fruit
* **Post-harvest** the most common time symptoms appear, in the packhouse or during transport

## Reduce the damage by

* **Harvest with a clean, sharp knife**; avoid tearing the peduncle.
* **Handle carefully** - every drop, bruise, or scrape is an entry point.
* **Field-cool fruit quickly** - move from the block to shade or cool storage within 2 hours.
* **Post-harvest fungicide dip** (thiabendazole or similar) for export fruit.
* **Cool storage at 7 to 10 C** slows the pathogen dramatically.
* **Cull sunburned and wounded fruit** in the packhouse rather than shipping.
* **Manage field pests and sunburn** to reduce entry-wound density before harvest.

## Set an alert for early warning

<Tip>
  Turn the diagnosis into a trigger. Black rot is a handling problem, so build alerts around post-harvest quality tracking.
</Tip>

Recommended settings for black rot on pineapple:

* **Post-harvest reject-rate alert** - flag any harvest with black-rot cull rate above 5% for handling review.
* **Field-risk reminder** - schedule a pre-harvest sunburn and thrips inspection to reduce entry wounds.
* **Cold-chain reminder** - schedule a temperature log check on every export shipment.

## Related

* [Pineapple Diagnosis](/guides/Crop/Pineapple/pineapple-diagnosis)
* [Sunburn](/guides/Crop/Pineapple/abiotic/sunburn) - major predisposing factor.
* [Thrips](/guides/Crop/Pineapple/biotic/insects/thrips) - feeding scars are entry points.
* [Set up automated crop alerts](/guides/alerts-notifications)