Nectria Twig Blight (Coral Spot)

Apple twigs develop small sunken cankers with bright coral-red fruiting bodies, gradually girdling branches over years. Nectria cinnabarina is a wound invader following pruning and fruit picking. Make short pruning stubs, remove dead wood, instruct pickers to avoid stem damage. The fungus has a wide host range.

Remove blighted tissue promptly, cutting well below visible symptoms. Improve air circulation by thinning dense growth. Avoid overhead watering, especially during bloom and new growth periods when tissues are most susceptible. For recurring problems, preventive fungicide applications timed to protect new growth can reduce infection, but cultural controls should be your first approach.