Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. on pome and stone fruits across Europe

The widespread cultivation of stone and pome fruits (Rosaceae) underlines their importance in the global market and their significant contribution to the fruit processing industry. However, destructive fungal pathogens from the genus Monilinia are causing Brown rot disease, threatening the stone and pome fruits around the world. Literature shows that the financial losses caused by Monilinia spp. have reached high levels, requiring appropriate management control strategies to limit the impact of the disease and reduce the developed resistance to fungicides. The latter is of the utmost importance for the wider concept of the Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) implemented in Europe as well as for developing alternative control measures for pests and diseases, while preserving the environment, organisms, and endangered ecosystems. Thus, the purpose of this review is to represent the framework of knowledge related to pathogen biology, host susceptibility, environmental factors, and known control measures to better understand the underlying processes related to Brown rot disease.