Poor Pollination
Poor pollination can cause poor fruit set, low yields, and poorly developed or misshapen fruit. The fruit will usually exhibit smaller seeds in the deformed area compared to the surrounding healthy area of the fruit.
Poor weather conditions during bloom increase the likelihood of poor pollination. Powdery mildew can also cause small fruit with small undeveloped seeds.
Diseases such as powdery mildew can infect pollen and also lead to symptoms of poor pollination.
Growers should take care when using insecticides harmful to bees, especially during bloom.
Often Confused With
Tarnished plant bug damage (The two problems can be distinguished by looking at the size of the seeds. With TPB, the seeds are relatively the same size in the deformed area as compared to the healthy area of the fruit.)
