Stains on raspberries: should you be concerned?

Have you noticed that some of your raspberries have white spots? There are a few possible reasons why this happens, but most likely it is White Drupelet Syndrome. What is this disorder? Should we worry about it? How to prevent it? All our answers in this article!

“White Drupet Syndrome” in raspberries:

Indeed, the most common reason for partial discoloration of raspberries is the “white drupe” syndrome. It is not a disease, so there is no danger to your crops. It’s just an irradiation of the fruit that mainly occurs during heat waves! Berries fully exposed to the hot midday sun are more susceptible to this condition because the hot, dry air allows more direct UV rays to penetrate the fruit. Higher temperatures and even wind can also trigger this reaction. Note that even a raspberry with unsightly white spots is still perfectly edible.

“White Drupet Syndrome” in raspberries – Photo: Rexania.

Prevent sunstroke for your raspberries!

To avoid this minor problem with your harvest, do not plant your raspberry bushes in areas that are too sunny and subject to hot summer winds. It may also help to orient your rows in a north-south position to minimize the effects of the scorching midday sun and thus sunburned fruit.

Keep in mind that in its natural environment, the wild raspberry occupies the humus-rich glades and appreciates the light shade of beech, mountain ash and elderberry that support each other thanks to the mycorrhizal fungi. Spreading RCW (fragmented ramial wood) at the base of your raspberries as a mulch also increases vigor and resistance to disease and sunburn.

In the most extreme cases and for already standing crops, setting up a shade cloth can also be a solution.