1. Plant Disease
  2. Host and Disease Descriptions

Gooseberry and Currant (Ribes spp.)-Powdery Mildew

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Latest revision: 
March 2024
Shoot with leaves and fruit

Gooseberry fruit with gray patches and splits.

Photo by Jay W. Pscheidt, 1992.

Six individual berries

As the gooseberry fruit matures, the mildew changes to a dark-brown coating that renders the berries unmarketable.

OSU Extension Plant Pathology Slide Collection, 1956.

This close up picture shows chasmothecia of the powdery mildew fungus on red currant.

OSU Extension Plant Pathology Slide Set, 1995.

Notice the diseased currant fruit are small and discolored.

Photo by Melodie Putnam, 1995.

Flowering bush

Ornamental flowering currant can also get powdery mildew as the shoot on the right is showing.

Jay W. Pscheidt, 2012

Cause Podosphaera mors-uvae (formerly Sphaerotheca mors-uvae) has been reported on Ribes spp. from all states in the Pacific Northwest. In addition, Podosphaera macularis has been reported from Idaho. Erysiphe grossulariae has been reported from WA and ID and Phyllactinia guttata has been found on Ribes spp. in WA. The black overwintering structures, called chasmothecia, form on canes and twigs. Ascospores are released around bloom to infect new shoots, leaves and berries. Conidia can be produced within 10 days on infected leaves and contribute to multiple infections during the growing season. The black currant cultivars Ben Nevis, Magnus, and Tsema were very susceptible to this disease at Mt. Vernon, WA.

Symptoms The fungus appears as a white powdery growth on the leaf surface, green shoots, and particularly fruit. Infected plants often are stunted. As fruit matures, the mildew changes to a dark brown coating with tiny black specks (chasmothecia) that render the berries unmarketable. Infected fruit often split open and rot.

Cultural control

  • Plant resistant cultivars. The red currant cultivars Minn 69 and Viking, the white currant cultivars Blanka, Mason's, and Primus and the black currant cultivars Ben Alder, Titania, and Ben Tirran have shown little, if any, symptoms at Mt. Vernon, WA.
  • Prune and thin bushes to provide better air circulation and drying conditions. Better fungicide coverage will also aid in disease management.

Chemical control

  • Delayed dormant (green-tip stage)
    • Lime Sulfur Ultra (27% lime sulfur) at 3 gal/100 gal water. 48-hr reentry. O
    • Rex lime sulfur (28%) at 3 gal/100 gal water. 48-hr reentry. O
  • Apply at prebloom as blossoms are ready to open, at full bloom, and 2 weeks later. Alternate or tank-mix products from different groups that have different modes of action. Limit the use of any one group during the growing season.
    • Abound at 6 to 15.5 fl oz/A. Do not apply with silicone-based surfactants. May be applied on the day of harvest. Group 11 fungicide. 4-hr reentry.
    • Aprovia at 8.6 to 10.5 fl oz/A plus an adjuvant. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not use within 21 days of harvest. Group 7 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Aprovia Top at 8.5 to 13.3 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not apply within 21 days of harvest. Group 3 + 7 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Cabrio EG at 14 oz/A. Use before symptoms are anticipated. May be used at harvest. Group 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Flint Extra at 3 to 3.5 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not use within 14 days of harvest. Group 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Gatten at 6.4 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not use within 14 days of harvest. Group U13 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Inspire Super at 16 to 20 fl oz/A. Do not apply within 7 days of harvest. Group 3 + 9 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Kaligreen (82% potassium bicarbonate) at 2 to 3 lb/A is labeled for currant. Might supplement a normal program when powdery mildew is first observed. Do not mix with other pesticides. Thorough coverage and frequent applications are essential. 4-hr reentry. O
    • Luna Sensation at 4 to 7.6 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not use within 14 days of harvest. Group 7 + 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Luna Tranquility at 13.6 to 27 fl oz/A. May be used day of harvest. Group 7 + 9 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Mettle 125 ME at 3 to 5 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not within 14 days of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Miravis Prime at 9.2 to 13.4 fl oz/A. Do not use within 14 days of harvest. Group 7 + 12 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Monterey Bi-Carb Old Fashioned Fungicide at 4 teaspoons/2 gal water only for currant. H
    • M-Pede at 1 to 2 gal/100 gal water is registered for currant. Good coverage is essential. Do not use within 3 days of applying sulfur. Do not mix with hard water. 12-hr reentry. O
    • Oso SC at 6.5 to 13 fl oz/A. May be applied on the day of harvest. Group 19 fungicide. 4-hr reentry. O
    • Ph-D WDG at 6.2 oz/A plus an adjuvant. May be applied on the day of harvest. Group 19 fungicide. 4-hr reentry.
    • Prev-Am at 50 fl oz/100 gal water. Do not use above 90°F or when plants are under heat or moisture stress. 24-hr reentry.
    • Prolivo 300 SC at 4 to 5 fl oz/A. Can be used day of harvest. Group 50 fungicide. 4-hr reentry.
    • Pristine at 18.5 to 23 oz/A. Do not use with any other tank additive. Can be used day of harvest. Group 7 + 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Proline 480 SC at 5.7 fl oz/A. Do not use within 7 days of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Propiconazole-based fungicides are registered. Do not use within 30 days of harvest. Group 3 fungicides.
      • Bumper 41.8 EC at 6 fl oz/A. 12-hr reentry.
      • PropiMax EC at 6 fl oz/A. 12-hr reentry.
      • Tilt at 6 fl oz/A. 24-hr reentry.
    • Quadris at 6 to 15.5 fl oz/A. Do not apply with silicone-based surfactants. May be applied on the day of harvest. Group 11 fungicide. 4-hr reentry.
    • Quadris Top at 12 to 14 fl oz/A. Do not apply within 7 days of harvest. Group 3 + 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Quash at 2.5 oz/A. Do not use within 7 days of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • QuiltXcel at 14 to 21 fl oz/A. Do not use within 30 days of harvest. Sprayers should not be used on apples. Group 3 + 11 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.
    • Rally 40 WSP at 5 oz/A. Applications may be made up to the day of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. 24-hr reentry.
    • Regalia at 1 to 4 quarts/A. Use on 7-day intervals. May be used day of harvest. Does not benefit from the addition of an adjuvant. Group P5 fungicide. 4-hr reentry. O
    • Regev at 4 to 8.5 fl oz/A. Do not apply within 2 days of harvest. Group 3 + BM01 fungicides. 12-hr reentry.
    • Sil-Matrix at 1 to 4 quarts/100 gal water plus a nonionic surfactant. Can be applied up to the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O
    • Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide Spray Concentrate for Gardens at 1.25 fl oz/gal water. May be applied up to the day of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. H
    • Sulfur-based products have good efficacy. Do not use within 2 weeks of an oil spray. Group M2 fungicides. 24-hr reentry. O
      • Bonide Sulfur Plant Fungicide (90% wettable) at 1.5 to 3 Tbsp/gal water. H
      • Microthiol Disperss (80% sulfur) at 6 to 15 lb/A. Do not use a spreader-sticker.
      • Thiolux (80% sulfur) at 6 to 15 lb/A.
    • Torino at 3.4 oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not use within 3 days of harvest. Group U6 fungicide. 4-hr reentry.
    • Trionic 4 SC at 8 to 16 fl oz/A. Labeled only for Gooseberry. Do not apply within 7 days of harvest. Group 3 fungicide. 12-hr reentry.

Biological control

  • Aviv (Bacillus subtilis strain IAB/BS03) at 10 to 30 fl oz/100 gal water. Unknown efficacy. Preharvest interval not specified. 4-hr reentry. O
  • Serenade OPTI (Bacillus subtilis strain QST 713) at 14 to 20 oz /A. Pest not on label but legal to use and has activity on powdery mildews on other crops. Active ingredient is a small protein. May be applied up to and including the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O
  • Serenade Garden Disease Control Concentrate at 2 to 4 fl oz/gal water. H O
  • Sonata (Bacillus pumilis strain QST 2808) at 2 to 4 quarts/A plus an adjuvant. May be applied up to and including the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O
  • Theia (Bacillus subtilis strain AFS032321) at 1.5 to 5 lb/A. May be applied up to and including the day of harvest. 4-hr reentry. O

Reference Purnell, T.J. and Sivanesan, A. 1970. Sphaerotheca mors-uvae. CMI Descriptions of Plant Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria, No. 254. Surrey, England: Commonwealth Mycological Institute.