noun
- A fungus that causes gray mold on plants and fruits, especially grapes; used in winemaking to produce sweet dessert wines.
Usage: Also called noble rot when it affects grapes under specific conditions.; Scientific name: Botrytis cinerea.; Common in viticulture and agriculture.
Examples
- Botrytis on the vineyard grapes created the perfect conditions for making sweet wine.
- The fungus botrytis can damage crops if humidity levels are too high.
- Winemakers in Bordeaux sometimes welcome botrytis for its effect on late-harvest grapes.
- Botrytis cinerea is one of the most economically important plant pathogens worldwide.
- The noble rot form of botrytis concentrates sugars in the grapes, producing dessert wines.