Hi Dana,

Thank you for contacting the helpline. Yes, this looks like a very common disease called apple scab. This is a fungal disease that infects both leaves and fruit. This fungus (Venturia inaequalis)  overwinters in fallen, wet leaves and thrives in cool, moist spring weather. Spores develop and are then released into the air infecting the tree. More infections can continue throughout the summer until conditions become more hot and dry.

Apple scab can be identified by light brown circular spots and start to appear on fruit and leaves in early spring. On the upper surface the spots have an olive-green, sooty appearance. The fruit develops scabby spots that are tan and sunken in. Apple scab can easily be confused with cedar-apple rust, which is also a fungal disease, but the spots are bright yellow with a dark center.

The best thing to do is to always rake up any fallen leaves around the apple trees and/or prune select branches to open up the canopy for air flow to keep the leaves dry. You can spray a fungicide as a preventative measure or choose apple varieties that are resistant to the disease. 

Here is some helpful information on Apple Scab:

https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/help-for-the-home-gardener/advice-tips-resources/pests-and-problems/diseases/scabs/apple-scab

https://extension.umn.edu/plant-diseases/apple-scab

I hope this helps!