apple scab
noun
: a disease of apple trees caused by a fungus (Venturia inaequalis) producing dark blotches or lesions on the leaves, fruit, and sometimes the young twigs
Examples of apple scab in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet many homeowners avoid them because older varieties are prone to a number of diseases, including apple scab, cedar apple rust, fire blight and powdery mildew.
—
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Neem oil is a natural fungicide that helps to control common apple diseases like apple scab, rust and powdery mildew.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
For example, growing chives near fruit trees reduces the incidence of apple scab and repels certain types of tree borers that might otherwise do major damage to home orchards.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2025
These specialty crops are especially susceptible to diseases like apple scab, a fungal ailment that attacks both a tree’s leaves and fruit with unsightly lesions, and outbreaks of highly infectious fire blight, which can kill entire trees outright.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Dec. 2023
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Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2026
Neem oil is a natural fungicide that helps to control common apple diseases like apple scab, rust and powdery mildew.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
For example, growing chives near fruit trees reduces the incidence of apple scab and repels certain types of tree borers that might otherwise do major damage to home orchards.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Feb. 2025
These specialty crops are especially susceptible to diseases like apple scab, a fungal ailment that attacks both a tree’s leaves and fruit with unsightly lesions, and outbreaks of highly infectious fire blight, which can kill entire trees outright.
—Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Apple scab.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apple%20scab. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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