Description of the pathogen 

• The mycelium of Monilinia spp. is strongly partitioned, it is cylindrical and has a large diameter. It comes together to form conidiferous stromas ( sporodochia ) in the form of tawny hemispherical pads for M. fructigena or grayish for M. laxa . sporodochia M. fructigena are 2-3 mm in diameter, while those of M. laxa are smaller and more fragile.
• The sporodochia are formed many rudimentary conidiophores consist of cellular articles which separate channels and produce unicellular and hyaline conidia (macroconidia) (Figure 1).
• The conidia are ovoid and their size can vary according to the nature of the support and the environmental conditions (on average: 10-13 X 7-14 µm). They separate from each other at the top thanks to the formation of transverse partitions at a level of constriction (arthrospores). These conidia are shaped like an ovoid barrel in M. fructigena.
• The sexual form  ( Monilinia ) is only rarely observed in M. laxa and never in M. fructigena . It is materialized by the formation pezizes or apothecia, which are of small (4 to 6 mm in diameter) brown to red in color. Of Asci cylindrical formed therein, as well as spindly paraphyses. An ascus measures on average 150 µm by 8-11 µm and contains 8 ellipsoid and transparent ascospores of 10-12 µm x 5-7 µm.