The flesh of the apricot first becomes brown, very soft and soon collapses. The lesion is soft. The surface of the fruit is covered at first with coarse, white spore masses, rapidly turning black. The superficial fungal mass appears as whisker-like, interwoven structures, extending outwards from the fruit. The skin of the infected fruit slips away at first touch of the brown lesion, but tends to disintegrate with touch when the superficial spores are established. This phenomenon is referred to as ‘soft tissue’ rot. Rhizopus rot is more common on mature or ripe fruit, especially when storage temperatures are elevated above 2 °C. Rhizopus rot, but also mucor rot, are rated as fast growers, macerating the tissue rapidly under slightly warmer storage conditions.