Common Peach Diseases
Jane E. Stewart
Plant Pathologist
Colorado State University
Colorado climate inhibits some pathogens,
and other pathogen behave differently
Foliar Peach Diseases Stem/Root Peach Diseases
• Brown rot • Armillaria root rot*
• Peach leaf curl • Phytophthora root rot
• Shot hole* • Cytospora*
• Powdery mildew*
*Important Colorado Diseases
Brown rot
• Fungal pathogen:
Monilinia fructicola
• No. 1 disease in Southeast,
but widespread in US
• Hosts include: Prunus spp.
• Typically occurs in areas with
high moisture
• Polycyclic disease
Chavez, UGA
Brown Rot Symptoms
• Blossom blight, twig and
dieback and fruit rot
• Some infections are
symptomless until fruit
ripens
• Symptoms may occur
while in storage
PNWhandbooks.org
Identification of Brown Rot
• Mummy berries
• Sporulation
– Look for apothecia in
winter/early spring in moist
areas Intermountainfruit.org
– If found, infections are likely
to be high
APSnet.org; Sanoamuang & Ganut
Disease Cycle of Brown Rot
Summer and Fall
Spring Protective fungicides
to prevent new
infections
Protective
fungicides to
prevent new
infections
Protective
fungicides to
prevent new
infections
Winter
M. Ellis, OSU
Management for Brown Rot
• Sanitation: Remove infected fruits
– Limits inoculum current and next growing season
• Control insect damage and wounding
• Post harvest: cool fruit rapidly after harvest
– Short soak in 122F water
APSnet.org
Chemical Management for Brown Rot
• Fungicides are the best option
– Sterol Inhibitors: Indar, Elite, Pristine and Gem
– Iprodione: Rovral – Spring application
– Copper or sulfur
• Spray at full rate and coverage at pink bud, full bloom and
petal fall
• Wet conditions: 7-10 days post
• Rotate fungicide classes
• Populations are becoming resistant to sterol inhibitor
fungicides
Peach Leaf Curl
• Fungal pathogen:
Taphrina deformans
• Hosts: Peach, plum,
nectarine, almond
• Can defoliate trees early in
the season
• Found throughout the US
Symptoms of Peach Leaf Curl
M.A. Hansen, VA Tech
Disease Cycle of Peach Leaf Curl
Spores Spring Summer and Fall
penetrates
host tissues Healthy and
diseased
peach
New Infections
Protective on young leaves Spores on
fungicides to
prevent new infected leaf and
infections fruit
Spores
overwinter
on buds or
twigs
Spores
Winter
Agrios
Management for Leaf Peach Curl
• Fungicides are the most effect method of
control
• A single application before buds begin to swell
can control disease for a season
• Can also apply chemicals in dormant season
– Ferbam, Ziram, Chlorothalonil, or copper
Shot hole blight
• Fungal pathogen:
Thyrostoma carpophilum
(Wilsonmyces carpophilus)
• Hosts: Peach, apricot,
cherry
• Common in Intermountain
West Intermountainfruit.org
• Polycyclic disease
Symptoms of shot hole
Intermountainfruit.org
Disease cycle for shot hole
In spring, spores are
Fungus overwinters in
disseminated via
infected buds and lesions
on small shoots
Winter wind/rain Protective
fungicides to
Protective prevent new
In fall and infections
fungicides to
winter,
prevent new
infections
spores Spring
are Spores can
produced infect healthy
during tissues.
wet Utah State University Extension
condition
s
Fall Summer
Later in
spring,
spores
In warm, dry weather infect fruit
fungus survives in buds
and twigs until wet
weather returns
Utah State University, Extension
Cultural Controls
• Summer rain and sprinkler irrigation promote
fruit infections, when fruit is wet for longer
periods of time
• If orchard is sprinkler irrigated, reduce canopy
wetness by adjusting sprinklers
• Prune cankers and remove/burn infected
branches
Chemical controls for shot hole
• Similar to leaf peach curl and brown rot
• Bordeaux mixture, Boscalid, Chlorothalonil,
Azoyxstrobin
• In orchards with a history, spray at leaf fall to
protect against twig infections
• Spring applications during bloom and wet
conditions to prevent fruit and leaf infections.
Powdery Mildews on
Peaches
• Fungal pathogens:
Podosphaera pannosa
– Infects peach and rose
• Podospharea leucotricha
– Infects apples and peaches
• Polycyclic disease
• Obligate pathogen
Utah State University, Extension
Symptoms of Powdery Mildew
• Yellowing or
distorted leaves
• Stunted shoot
growth
• Reduced yield
• Powdery residue on
leaves and fruit
Utah State University, Extension
Identification
• Conidia
• Cleistothethia
Apsnet.org
Disease cycle of
Powdery Mildew
• Overwinters on in buds, as
buds expand, infection
occurs on young leaves
• Sporulation occurs usually at
night with relative humidity
is higher
• Spore germination occurs
when temperatures are
between 36-98 F.
APSnet.org
H. Larson
Management of Powdery Mildews
• Provide good circulation by pruning for increase airflow
between trees
• Full sun exposure
• Use lower levels of nitrogen – less succulent, young growth
• Remove nearby rose for peach powdery mildew
• Do not plant peaches next to susceptible apple varieties
– Gala, Jonathan, MacIntosh, Rome Beauty
H. Larson
Chemical Control for Powdery Mildew
• Conventional: Azoxystrobin (Abound), boscalid +
pyraclostrobin (Pristine), thiophanate methyl (Topsin)
• Organic: Potassium bicarbonate + horticultural oil,
sulfur based
• Spray early spring (7-10 days) until symptoms are
moderate
• Alternate chemicals to prevent fungicide resistance
H. Larson
Stem/Root Peach Diseases
• Armillaria root rot*
• Phytophthora rot
• Cytospora*
*Important Colorado Diseases
Armillaria Root Rot
• Fungal pathogen:
Armillaria mellea
• Hosts: Many hardwoods
• Persists on decaying roots
and debris, infects new
Guido Schnabel
• Occupies large areas
Humongous fungus
Symptoms
• Height growth is reduced
• Thin crown
• Yellow leaves
• Sap on the root collar
• Reduced root system
• Circle of diseased trees
Identification
Honey mushrooms
Mycelial Fans
Rhizomorphs
Conditions that promote disease
• Poorly drained soils and excess irrigation
– Furrow irrigated orchards
• Areas of lower elevation a field
• Planting new stock in the same areas
Rootstock Working Group, rootstocks.net
Cultural Management Options
• Avoid excess watering
• Armillaria can exists for many years; Sanitize to remove diseased
roots before replanting
• Avoid wounding roots; Shade exposed crowns from sunburn
• Root collar excavation to
expose crowns to air and
to limit spread to the stem
• Keep trees healthy
Root collar excavation
Guido Schnabel, Clemson University
Phytophthora Root
Crown and Collar Rot
• Caused by pathogens:
Phytophthora cactorum
and Phytophthora spp.
• Hosts: Peach, apple,
cherry, apricot
T. Burr, Cornell
• Soilborne pathogens
Symptoms of Phytophthora Root Rot
• Stunted growth
• Scorched leaves, dry leaves
that remain on tree
• Reduced root system
• Circle of diseased trees
T. Burr, Cornell
Identification of Phytopththora root rot
Oospores of P. cactorum, Cating et al. 2010
M. Murray, UT
Disease cycle of Phytophthora root rot
Several hundred oospores can be produced per
Optimum temperature inch length of infected root!!
50-60ºF
Swim to the
Penetrate root tips –
root optimum
temperature
50-64ºF
In soil and roots resistant structure
Wolfgang Oßwald et al. 2004
Management of Phytophthora Root Rot
• Avoid excess watering, especially in the fall and spring.
Good temperatures for fungal infection and less use by the
tree
• Plant trees on a good site. Good drainage and evenly
sloped
• Plant trees shallow on a mound
• Move easily on nursery stock so ensure clean material
• Select resistant root stocks
• Soil drenches of mefenoxam (Ridomil Gold)
Cytospora Canker
• Caused by Cytospora spp.
• Common on all stone fruits
and many other tree species
(urban and forests)
• Associated with stress
(drought, pH, cold damage)
• Most significant disease in
Colorado peaches
Cytospora Disease Cycle
• Fungus grows in bark tissue through
open wounds, and can can also enter
buds
• Kills by girdling branches
or trunk of tree Alan Biggs
• Attacks tree during conditions when temperatures are warm
and moisture is available
• Trees affected by drought, late spring frosts, insect and fungi
defoliation, sunscald, herbicides, or mechanical injury are
susceptible to Cytospora infection
Survey of Orchards
• Estimated incidence and
severity of Cytospora in major
peach production areas of
Western Colorado
• March/April 2015
• Conducted in Grand Valley,
North Fork and Olathe areas
– Focus on gathering data from a
widespread area and range of
orchard management
Methods
• Surveyed by orchard and
variety
• Recorded presence/absence for
every 10th tree
• Counted and rated infection K. Kimbrough
severity for every 50th tree
• Interviewed growers
• Collections of Cytospora
isolates
Results
• Surveyed:
– 200 acres
– 42 varieties
– 2-32 year old orchards (11 yr mean)
• 100% of orchards surveyed
infected (mean 75% infected)
• Ave number of infections per
tree was 5.2 (range 0-27)
• Potential relationships between
practices and infection, but are
inconclusive at this time
Species differ biologically
• Three species have been identified
on peach within the US:
– Cytospora leucostoma
– Cytospora paraleucostoma
– Cytospora cinctum
• Only 1 species has been identified in
Colorado
– Cytospora leucostoma
Symptoms of Cytospora canker
Larson & Pokharel
Identification of Cytospora
Disease cycle Crotches with
narrow branch Unhealed
angles pruning
stub Shaded winter
Leaf scars, damaged twig
damaged buds
Humid,
Poorly
wet healed
Conidia spread by rain; germinate
and infect injured and dead wound
tissues, expands as cankers
Canker rings
formed by
Fungus persists and infection and
forms fruiting host callus
structures in dead formation
wood and cankers
Biggs and Grove 2006.
High inoculation levels correlated with high
rainfall events (Watapo, WA)
1993 1994 1995
Grove and Biggs 2006. Plant Disease
Spread of spores
from cankers
Maximum spread 2 ft from rain
splash
More inoculum further at angles
higher than 90 degrees from
canker
Rain splash is important for
inoculum spread
Are there long distance spread
mechanisms?
Wind
Insects
Humans
Grove and Biggs 2006. Plant Disease
Healthy trees
• To help a tree resist infection:
– Prepare soil before planting
– Fertilize, water properly for winter and summer
– Avoid injury to the trunk and limbs
– Prune correctly
• Slow growth in Fall:
– Fertilize in late winter or early spring
– Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilization, which causes
vigorous growth
– Trees need to harden off in fall to prevent cold-injury
Management Tools
• Manage tree stress
• Remove cankers
– Pruning
• Reduce inoculum levels
– Pruning
– Chemical treatments
Chemical Management options
Stephan will present these!
Summary foliar
fruit diseases
Summary soil borne pathogens
Armillaria Root Rot
Avoid excess watering, sanitize
sites before replanting, avoid
wounding roots, root collar
excavation method, keep trees
healthy
Phytophthora Root Rot
Avoid excess watering, plant trees
on a good site, plant shallow on a
mound, use clean nursery stock,
resistant cultivars in available,
drench with mefenoxa T. Burr, Cornell
Questions?
