Prevention of pink fungus disease in coffee

Pink fungus (Corticium salmonicolor) grows on coffee branches, creating a characteristic pink layer. The branches are heavy and dry. Instructions for early identification, prevention during the rainy season and treatment of diseased branches for Central Highlands orchards.

Summary: Pink fungus is a common disease on Robusta coffee in the Central Highlands, especially in the Lam Dong region with high humidity. The disease does not kill the tree but dries out fruit-bearing branches, reducing yield by 15-30 percent when the outbreak is severe. This article focuses on the typical symptoms (easily recognizable pink layer) + seasonal spray schedule.

Applies to: Robusta Coffee in Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Gia Lai, Dak Nong.

Duration: Room all year round. Strong pressure in July-October.

Difficulty level: Medium.

Estimated additional costs: 2-3 million VND per hectare per year.

Characteristics of pink mushrooms

*Corticium salmonicolor* (synonym *Erythricium salmonicolor*) is a fungus that lives on the bark of branches and destroys the wood underneath. Features:

• Spores spread through air and wind — similar to rust.
• Develops strongly when high humidity persists + temperature 24-28 degrees Celsius.
• Attacks harvested branches — fruit-bearing branches are usually weaker.
• The mushroom layer has a characteristic pink color — easy to recognize with the naked eye.
• Survives on dry branches + fallen leaves — flares up if not cleaned.

Other than rust spot, it attacks leaves and causes them to fall, while pink fungus attacks branches and causes them to dry out. A damaged branch can die to the tip — losing part of that branch's productivity.

Symptoms and severity

Early symptoms

• Small yellow — light pink spots on branch bark.
• The spot is usually at the intersection between two branches or at the base of a fruit-bearing branch.
• When you feel the soft layer like fog.

Symptoms develop

• The layer of fungus covers the branches extensively — 5-15 centimeters long.
• Distinctive pink color — easy to see from afar.
• The bark of the branches is cracked and peeling.

Severe symptoms

• The branch dies from the fungus to the top.
• Dried leaves at the ends of branches even though it's not the dry season.
• The branch bearing the fruit is heavy → the fruit does not develop and falls off.

Count to evaluate

Count branches with pink mushrooms on 5 random trees × 10 branches per tree:

Outbreak conditions

Pink mushrooms explode strongly when:

• Prolonged rain + air humidity above 85 percent — Lam Dong highlands, rainy season in the Central Highlands.
• Dense, unventilated canopy — moisture accumulates in the canopy.
• Weak tree after drought or other disease.
• The orchard had an unsanitary epidemic — spores on dry branches.
• High nitrogen fertilization — branches grow quickly but the bark is soft.

Seasonal Room

The end of the dry season (March-April)

• Cut diseased branches, branches that were harvested in the previous crop, and dry branches.
• Take branches away from the orchard to burn — do not throw them in the orchard.
• Whitewash the base of the tree + the lower tree trunk.
• Apply balanced base fertilizer — don't fertilize too much nitrogen.

The beginning of the rainy season (May-June)

• Spray the floor once with *Mancozeb* or *Copper oxychloride* before the first rain.
• Check tree branches for early signs.

Peak of rainy season (July-September)

• Monitor weekly. Especially after prolonged heavy rain.
• When detecting pink mushrooms on branches:
• Cut off diseased branches to 10-15 centimeters from the infected area towards the base.
• Apply lime or scar healing glue to the cut.
• Spray crop-protection product around neighboring branches.

Late rainy season (October-November)

• Broad-spectrum final spraying.
• Clean up the orchard — cut dry branches, clean up fallen leaves.

Spraying

Suitable active ingredients

Copper-based treatment:

• *Copper hydroxide* (copper hydroxide).
• *Copper oxychloride* (copper oxychloride).
• *Bordeaux mixture* (Bordeaux mixture — lime + copper).
• Safe, low resistance, suitable for background rooms.

Triazole drugs:

• *Hexaconazole*.
• *Tebuconazole*.
• *Propiconazole*.
• Highly effective, used to treat when the disease has flared up.

Coordination:

• *Hexaconazole + Mancozeb* — good prevention and treatment.
• *Tebuconazole + Copper hydroxide* — alternating active ingredients.

Spray technique

• Spray in the cool afternoon.
• Spray evenly the entire canopy + especially fruit-bearing branches + branch intersections.
• Amount of water 600-1,000 liters per hectare — enough to cover evenly.
• Repeat after 14-21 days if the pressure is high, change the active ingredient.

Apply thick treatment

For specific disease branches:

• Mix high concentration *Hexaconazole* or *Tebuconazole* (5-10 grams per liter).
• Apply directly to the area with pink fungus + 5-10 centimeters around.
• After 7-10 days, check. If the layer of black dried mushrooms → is effective.

Handling severely damaged branches

When the branch has a thick layer of pink fungus + the tip of the branch is dry:

Step 1: cut diseased branches.

• Cut 10-15 centimeters from the infected area towards the base, where the peel is still fresh.
• Cut cleanly, don't let the roots become blunt.

Step 2: process the cut.

• Apply dilute lime or glue to heal scars.
• Spray *Hexaconazole* around.

Step 3: cut and burn.

• Sick branches must be carried away from the orchard to burn.
• Do not throw it in the orchard — the spores will continue to spread.

Step 4: follow up after 30 days.

• Are there any signs of infection in neighboring branches?
• Repeat processing if necessary.

orchard improvement

Spraying is only a temporary solution. Improve orchards to reduce long-term pressure:

• Prune branches for ventilation — thick canopy is a favorable environment for pink mushrooms.
• Auxiliary trees provide adequate shade — not too much.
• Balanced fertilization — reduce nitrogen, increase potassium.
• Weed management around the base.

Monitor every 7-14 days during the rainy season

• [ ] Count the percentage of branches with pink mushrooms.
• [ ] Observe the branch intersection — the location where it usually flares.
• [ ] Canopy ventilation level — do you need additional pruning?
• [ ] Weather — number of consecutive rainy days.

Common mistakes

Ignore the early signs: only treat when the branches are dry — it's too late.

Do not cut diseased branches when spraying: spores in branches continue to spread.

Throw away diseased branches in the orchard: source of spores for the next crop.

Spraying the same active ingredient multiple times: fungus is resistant.

Dense canopy + no pruning: creates an ideal environment for pink mushrooms.

Take notes

• Detection period — date, branch rate.
• Active ingredient sprayed + date.
• Number of branches removed.
• Effective after 30 days.

References

• *Prevention of pink fungus disease on coffee* — Central Highlands Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology Institute (abbreviated name WASI), 2022.
• *Coffee disease management* — Plant Protection Department, 2023.

Related articles

• Prevention of coffee rust
• Prevention of yellow leaf and root rot disease in coffee
• Prevention of dry branch and fruit diseases in coffee
• Coffee price tracking and 30-day forecast