Rot/disease advice?

I have a small clumping TBM that recently developed a rot/disease issue on the tip of one segment.  The affected area appears to be contained and hardened off but who knows.  What, if anything, should I do about it?  The plant cost a small arm and leg so I'd hate losing it all to slow rot.

Kinda looks like the result of sun burn. I would keep them away from strong sunlight and slowly introduce them to greater light intensity.

Hellonasty wrote:

Kinda looks like the result of sun burn. I would keep them away from strong sunlight and slowly introduce them to greater light intensity.

Could be.  The plant was originally in a propagation box under fluorescents when the orange spots one can see around the tip began appearing.  At this point I moved it to indirect light under a verandah and after a few days to stronger light.

If I can be sure what caused the orange spots is no longer a threat, I'm inclined to leave it alone.  Cutting off the affected part would not only look terrible, but run the risk of losing the whole segment if the cut doesn't heal.  The tip is a little more wrinkled since since the photo was taken.

TBM's are very susceptible to disease/bacterial problems and this is a result of the mutation weakening the plants immune system. The good thing is TBM's get these bacterial issues all the time but they seldom cause any life threatening or major problems, additionally they usually clear up without any intervention and only cause some moderate scaring.

HN, thanks for the info re TBM's.  Hopefully it will put out some pups this season.

Just when I thought nothing else could go wrong ...

Checked it this morning and everything was fine.  Came back in the afternoon
to find a fat green caterpillar creating a wormhole in my TBM.  Arghhhhh

Cheeky little bugger !

Must be something with TBM's as I also found a catepillar on one last year, only time i've ever had one on a cactus.  

Above is the damage it did in short order before my tweezers found it.  Plant is ok but has a nasty scar  

Regular TB's too.  Last year I had a small TB seedling which was attacked by what must have been a snail or slug. This year the same seedling had a caterpillar chewing on it.  Adjacent T.Peru seedlings were left untouched.  I can only assume TB's have a particular smell which attracts the pests.