The infection capacity of P. expansum and P. digitatum on apples and histochemical analysis of host response

► Maturity stage is an important factor in the infection capacity of P. expansum in apples. ► P. digitatum was able to infect apples but at very late stages of apple fruit maturity. ► When P. digitatum infected apples, the disease symptoms were limited to the initial infection site. ► Lignin may play an important role in apple defence against P. expansum and P. digitatum.