PEACH

SUBTROPICAL AND TEMPERATE FRUIT

PRODUCTION
(FSC-502)

DEPARTMENT OF FRUIT SCIENCE

DR. YASHWANT SINGH PARMAR UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF HORTICULTURE AND FORESTRY, NERI

SUBMITTED BY: AMBIKA THAKUR

SUBMITTED TO : DR. ROLL NO. – NH-2019-09-BIV
SANJEEV KUMAR BANYAL [Link]. First Year
 TAXONOMY

Botanical name Prunus persica (L) Batsch

Order Rosales

Family Rosaceae

Genus Prunus

Subgenus Amygdalus

Species persica

Chromosome No. X = 8, 2n = 16

Origin China
 INTRODUCTION
• The peach is an important fruit crop of temperate
region all over the world. Important centers of
commercial production usually lies between latitudes
30° North and 45° South.
• Most peach cultivars require from 500 to 1000 or more
hours of cold below 7.2° C to foliate and bloom
normally in the spring. At higher latitudes minimum
winter temperatures and spring frosts are the usual
limiting factors.
• According to geographical distribution, the peach
cultivars have been divided into three groups namely,
Northern, Southern and European or Persian group.
Cultivars can also be divided into two groups, high
chilling and low chilling on the basis of their chilling
requirements.

• China, Italy, USA, Spain and Greece are the

major producers of peach and nectarines in the world.
 ORIGIN AND DISTRIBUTION

• China is the center of origin for several peaches. Many wild form of peach found in
Himachal Pradesh, India.
• Peach spreads by Romans to Europe and England starting in 300-400 B.C.
• Peaches came to the new world during 16th-17th centuries, with Portuguese
introducing it to South America.
• In India, high chilling peaches and nectarines are being grown in the mid hills of the
Himalayan range in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and
Uttrakhand.
• Low chilling peaches are grown on a limited scale in foot hills of northern western
plains of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Nilgiri hills.
 CLASSIFICATION OF PEACH
Species Common name Chromosome Distribution
number (2n)
P. Persica (L.) Peach, Maotao 16 China
Batsch
Prunus persica (L.) Nactarines 16 N.E. China
Batsch var.
nucipersica
P. kansuensis Rehd. Wild peach, Kansu 16 N.W. China
tao
P. mira Koehne. Tibetan peach, 16 W. China &
Xizang-tao Himalayas
Prunus persica (L.) Saucer peach 16 China
Batsch var.
Platycarpa
P. davidiana (Carr.) Mountain peach, 16 N. China
Franch Shan tao
 CHARACTERSTICS OF PEACH
SPECIES
1. Prunus persica
• It is a diploid spp. (2n=16). Most
commercial species of peach grown in
India.
2. Prunus davidiana Franch (Father
David’s Peach):
• It is originated in North East China. It is
Prunus persica Prunus davidiana
drought tolerant hence, used as a
rootstock; however, it is sensitive to
nematodes.
3. Prunus mira Wilson (Poit & Turpin)
• It is considered to be a natural hybrid
of almond and peach. The species is Prunus mira
found extensively in the dry temperate
zones of India. Locally known as Behmi
and used as rootstock for peach, almond
and plum.
 CHARACTERSTICS OF PEACH
SPECIES
4. Prunus kansuensis Rehd.
• A wild species found in north eastern
China and generally used as a seedling
rootstock. Fruits are astringent and very
poor in quality.
5. Prunus persica (L.) Batsch var.
nucipersica (Nectarine)
• A natural mutant of peach, nectarine Prunus kansuensis Nectarine
originated in China around 2000 years
ago. It is a hairless or fuzzless peach
which has smooth skin like plum but, the
trees do not differ from peach.
6. Prunus persica (L.) Batsch var.
Platycarpa (Saucer or Flat Peach)
• The fruit of flat peach is flattened and
thicker than the stone length having a
calyx-like eye or broken cavity at apex.
The saucer shape of flat peaches makes it Prunus persica var. Platycarpa
 ROOTSTOCKS
ROOTSTOCK CHARACTERSTICS
GF677 (P. amygdalus X P. persica) A peach-almond hybrid adapted to high soil
pH; highly vigorous, useful for repelant
problems

Nemaguard Rootstock resistant to nematodes

Siberian C Cold hardy rootstock

St. Julien Hyb. No. 2 Semi-dwarf, tolerant to wet soils, salts and
resistant to bacterial canker

Marianna GF 8/1 Vigorous, productive, precocious, resistant

to water logging, viruses and root-knot
nematode.
 ROOTSTOCKS
ROOTSTOCK CHARACTERSTICS
Damas GF 1869 Semi-dwarf, resistant to high soil pH,
water logging and bacterial canker

Guardian Seedling rootstock,resistant to all

nematodes
 AREA AND PRODUCTION

2022-2023 2023-2024
Peach 2021-2022(Final) (2nd Advance (First Advance
Estimate) Estimate)

Area (‘000 Ha) 19 16 19

Total
Production 121 102 124
(‘000 MT)

Source: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmer Welfare,

2024
 FLORAL BIOLOGY
• Peach is monoecious with perfect flower.
• The peach flower is termed as perigynous.
• The receptacle is cup shaped and encloses the
ovary.
• The air space between the receptacle and
ovary is thought to provide some insulation
during spring frosts.
• Following bloom the cup shaped receptacle
dries and is called the shuck, which splits and
falls off as the fruit grows.
• The flower buds of peach develop in leaf axils on one year old growth. These buds
will bear following season’s fruit. The terminal bud on peach shoot is vegetative.
• Flower buds on peach are said to be “simple” or “pure”, as they contain only floral
tissue, which contrasts with the apple mixed buds from which both flower and leaf
tissues arise.
• In peach one flower comes from each bud.
 FLORAL BIOLOGY
• In winter examination of a peach shoot about 1-1/2 feet in length reveals several
bud arrangements.
• Near the upper end, single buds (one at a node) of two types predominate. There
are single, small, pointed vegetative buds and the somewhat larger, rounder, more
pubescent (hairy) flower buds.
• In the lower two thirds of shoot, many of the nodes have three buds arranged side
by side.
• The two outer flower buds are larger and rounder; the center leaf bud is frequently
very inconspicous, small and pointed.
 CLIMATE
• In India, peach is mainly grown in mid hills at a height ranging from1000-1600
meters above sea level and certain varieties that are grown in subtropical areas
require only 250-300 hours of chilling during the year for proper flowering and
fruiting.
• Chilling requirement varies from 250-850 hours depending upon the variety.
• Peaches do well in wet and humid climate with cold winter and dry summer.
• They also require protection from hot desiccating wind. On the other hand peaches
do not grow well where winter temperature falls below the freezing point
as it gets injured.
• The cultivar Floridasun has low chilling requirements of about 300 hours only at or
below 7.2 °C.
• The annual rainfall of 45 cm is sufficient for peach. Spring frost is more harmful
for peach cultivation.
 SOIL
• Deep sandy loam soil rich in organic matter is best for its successful cultivation.
• Peaches are highly susceptible to water logging and prefer perfect drainage.
• Fertile and heavy soils are hazardous as it makes heavy growth and hence results
in winter injury.
• The pH of the soil should be between 5.8 to 6.8.
• Acidic and saline soils are unfit for peach cultivation.
 PROPAGATION AND ROOTSTOCKS
• Peach is commercially propagated through grafting or budding.
• Peach seedlings are generally used as rootstock.
• The plum, apricot and almond seedlings may be used. Some nurseries also use (P.
behmi) as rootstock for peach.
• The wild species produce more vigorous and hardy seedlings than the cultivated
varieties.
• The peach seedlings are preferred in the hills. Before sowing, the seeds are
stratified at 4˚-10 ˚C for 10-12 weeks in the moist sand.
• The stratification of peach seeds is done under natural conditions and cold storage
at 10 ˚C or below.
• The seeds may be treated with thiourea (0.5%) or GA (200 ppm) or IBA (100
ppm) reduces the stratification period and increase germination percentage and
seedlings growth.
• The stratified seeds are then sown in well prepared beds about 5 cm deep and 15
cm apart at a row- to- row spacing of 20 cm.
 CONTD..
• For protection the seed-beds are mulched with 6-10 cm thick dry grass.
• Light irrigation should be given to avoid desiccation of seeds.
• Seeds start germinating in March.
• The seedlings become beddable in June, if they are grown in fertile soil with full
care, they become graft able in the following winter.
• Peaches are propagated commercially by tongue or cleft grafting and T-budding or
ring budding.
• In hills, tongue grafting during January- February and T-budding during May-June
are performed. However, in plains grafting is performed during November-
January and budding during April-June and September.
CONTD..
 CULTIVATION
• PLANTING-
• The planting is done in winter season.
• The planting should be cleared that is without bushes and weeds.
• The land is ploughed or dug and arrangement of drainage be made in advance of
planting.
• In hilly areas, contour planting system is adopted in steep slope, otherwise
terraces may be prepared. In plains, square system of planting is common.
• Pits of 1 m x1 m x 1 m size at a distance of 4.5 m in hills are, dug during
September –October.
• The pits should be refilled with fertile to soil mixed with 40 kg well-rotten
farmyard manure. And 10 liters solution of Chlorpyriphos (1ml/litre) to each
pit to avoid any damage from insects.
CULTIVATION
 CULTIVAR CLASSIFICATION
Cultivars Characteristics
Table cultivars Should be yellow fleshed, free stone and free from fuzz. Eg:
Alexander, Alberta, Baifeng, Babcock, Cordinal, Candor,
Dixigem, J.H. Hale, Red Top, Red heaven, Red globe, Rio oso
gem.
Canning cultivars Should be yellow fleshed, cling stone, with a small non splitting
pit, uniform size, devoid of red colour at the pit and should
mature uniformly, Eg: Certex, Crawfolds, Carolyn, Golden
bush, Halford, Stuart, Vivian and Veteran.
Low chilling Cultivars not requiring more cold for breaking dormancy. Eg:
cultivars Early amber, Early grande, Floridagold, Floridabelle,
Floridaking, Floridasun, Floridaqueen, Maygold, Rio-Grande
and Sharbati
 CONTD..
Cultivars
Characterstics

Basis of colour [Link] fleshed freestone peaches: Sentry, Redhaven, Newhaven,

Triogem, Canadian Harmony, Madison, Crest haven, and Marglow.
2. White fleshed freestone peaches: Surecrop. Raritan, Rose.
3. Yellow fleshed nectarines: Hardired, Mericrest, Red Gold and
Nectared 6
Nectarine Non-pubeseent, preferred for table purposes. Eg: Annqueen,
cutivars CharoKee, Late Le Grand, Nectared, Sun Grand, Sunred, Sunrise.
Clingstones There is adherence of the flesh to the stone and Used primarily for
canning. Example - Babygold 5, Babygold 7.
 STATE-WISE VARIETIES OF
PEACHES
State Varieties
Uttarakhand July Elberta, Red June, Sun Heaven, Paradelux, Crest Heaven, Snow
Queen, J.H. Hale, Sun Red, Prabhat, Floridasum, Florida Red,
Sharbati
Punjab Partap, Florida Prince, Shan-i-Punjab, Earli Grande, Prabhat, Punjab
Nectarine, Sharbati
Himachal July Elberta, Red Heaven, Sun CrestRed June, Sun Heaven,
Pradesh Paradelux,, Snow Queen, J.H. Hale, Sun Red, Floridasum, Florida
Red
Jammu & July Elberta, Red June, Sun Heaven, Paradelux, Red Heaven, Snow
Kashmir Queen, J.H. Hale, Sun Red, Florida Red, Prabhat
Haryana Shan-i-Punjab, Prabhat, Sharbati
Tamil Nadu Floridasun, Florida Red
Nectarines May Fire, Sun Bright, Sun Grand, Sunlite, Sunrise, Sunripe, Silver
King, Snow Queen, Punjab Nectarine
 VARIETIES

A number of high quality sub-tropical peaches evolved in the U.S.A., particularly in

Florida and California, were introduced at PAU, Ludhiana during 1968. Some of these
cultivars have recorded excellent performance under these sub-tropical conditions.

• REDHAVEN
• It is an early variety suitable for mid hills.
• Fruits are medium-sized, round, very lightly
fuzzy, attractive and having yellow skin
overlaid red to deep red.
• The flesh is firm, fine textured, melting and
almost freestone when ripe.
• It has outstanding flavour but the skin tends to
tear easily during harvest.
 VARIETIES

• ALEXANDER
• It is an excellent early season cultivar which ripens in the
last week of May to first week of June.
• Fruit is medium to large in size, round, skin is smooth
and beet-root purple with some patches of pod green
colour.
• The flesh is soft, greenish white, juicy, very sweet and
aromatic.
• It is a free stone variety. However, its keeping quality is
not good.
 VARIETIES
• ELBERTA
• The variety is used for canning.
• Fruit is large, round with smooth skin of pale yellow having red splash. The flesh is
firm, juicy and very sweet.
• It is a free stone variety, self unfruitful.
• STARK RED GOLD
• It is an early variety and start ripening from last week of May.
• Fruits medium sized, moderately fuzzy The skin colour is orange with a blush of red.
• The flesh is yellow and stone is semi cling. It is a high yielding variety.
• SUNHAVEN
• It starts ripening from the first week of July.
• Fruits medium-sized, round and skin is bright red.
• The flesh is yellow, fine, firm textured and has good flavour. It is freestone variety
when fully ripe.
 VARIETIES
• SHAN-I-PUNJAB
• This is another early cultivar, maturing in the first week of May. Tree vigorous in
growth.
• It produces large fruits of 5-5.5 cm diameter weighing about 90 gms each.
• The colour of the fruit is yellow with red blush, juicy and sweet, with excellent
taste, flesh yellow and with completely free-stone.
• The fruit is quite firm in texture and can withstand transportation. In addition to its
table use, this cultivar has also been found suitable for canning. Its TSS is 12% and
acidity is 0.74%. The average yield is about 70 kg per tree.
• FLORIDAPRINCE
• Tree is vigorous and the fruits mature in the fourth week of April.
• Fruit size medium (65-70 g), yellow with red blush at maturity, flesh firm,
yellowish and stone at fully ripe stage. TSS is 12% and acidity 0.5%.
• Average yield is 100 kg fruits per tree.
 VARIETIES

ELBERTA STARK RED GOLD SUNHEAVEN

SHAN-I-PUNJAB
FLORIDAPRICE
 VARIETIES
• EARLI GRANDE
• Tree is semi vigorous, high yielding and fruit maturity occurs in the first week of May.
• Fruit is large (90 g) and flesh firm, yellowish and free stone at full ripe stage.
• Keeping quality is good. Its TSS is 10.5% and acidity is 0.7%.
• SHARBATI
• The tree is spreading and vigorous. Fruit large, greenish yellow with rosy patches, very
juicy, flesh white with excellent taste and flavour.
• Ripens in the first week of July.
• Average yield 100 to 120 kg per tree. TSS in 13% and acidity 0.33%.
• KHURMANI
• The tree is medium and upright in growth.
• It blooms in early February and fruit ripens in first week of June.
• The fruit is large, weighing about 70 g and is attractive with red colouration.
• It is slightly pointed at the base. It is a clingstone cultivar with white, soft, juicy flesh.
TSS is 13% and acidity 0.4%.
EARLY GRANDE KHURMANI

SHARBATI
 VARIETIES
• J. H. HALE-
• Old peach cultivar in commercial
production, probably of Elberta
parentage.
• Fruits are large yellow with firm flesh
of excellent quality.
• Freestone peach species good for both
fresh market and canning.
• Self-unfruitful in nature.
 CANOPY MANAGEMENT
Training and pruning in peach trees is critical to the production of quality fruit. The
rewards of proper pruning and training are abundant yields of high quality fruit that are
easily harvested.
OBJECTIVES IN TREE TRAINING:
• Promote favourable growth patterns
• Bring trees into early production.
• Develop a strong framework
• Promote sunlight penetration
• Improve ease of management
• Develop good structure and strong limbs that will be productive,
• Control the height of the tree,
• Remove any damaged or diseased growth
Types: Open centre system, modified leader system, tatura trellis system, Y system
 TRAINING
• Of the conventional training systems, modified leader and open centre are usually
adopted to train peach trees. If sunlight exposure is a limiting factor (hills), vase
or open center system of training is generally used.
• In this system at the time of planting, stem is cut 60-80 cm from the ground level
and only 3-4 branches are allowed to develop on it.
• In the following dormant season, these 3-4 branches arising in opposite direction
with wide angled crotches are headed back.
• The unwanted branches are thinned out. In the second year scaffold, diseased
weak and dry shoot are thinned out and 2 or 3 secondary laterals are selected at
this stage.
• All the side branches which grow towards the ground, centre of the tree or
vertically straight should be thinned out.
• The main stem kept clear up to 45 cm above the ground.
 CONTD..
• In subsequent years, the pruning severities in these two branches are changed
which maintains the trees in growing and fruiting condition.
• In July Elberta peach, pruning should be done to retain 40 fruiting shoots and each
shoot is headed back to 15 nodes. Where heavy pruning is required three-fourths
heading back + 40% thinning out is recommended.
• Mid-winter is best time of pruning.
 PRUNING
PRUNING OBJECTIVES:
• Remove poor, unproductive wood
• Encourage new growth
• Remove broken and pest damaged wood.
• Promote light penetration throughout the canopy
• Maintain the tree within the allotted space.
 PRUNING
• Peaches require heavy and regular pruning because fruiting occurs laterally only on
previous season's growth which bears only once in its life time.
• Best time for pruning in peach is last week of october.
• The pruning of peach has two important components-thinning out and heading back of the
shoots.
• Pruning should be done so as to produce 25-50 cm of growth annually under temperate
condition, which is sufficient for maintaining optimum productivity.
• During early bearing, the selected shoots should be lightly pruned by removing 20-30%
linear growth after corrective pruning of the tree.
• After 7-8 years of bearing, the corrective pruning should be followed by removal of linear
extension growth to the extent of 70-80%.
• The remaining 50% of selected shoots should be headed back by removing 20- 30% linear
growth.
• In general, fruiting shoots should be lightly pruned and alternate ones severely headed back
to get sufficient yield and following year's growth respectively.
• In peaches due to heavy vegetative growth in summers, summer pruning is also done for
better penetration of light and air inside the canopy.
 FERTILIZATION SCHEDULE FOR
PEACH PLANTATION
MOP
FYM CAN(g5 Nitrog- SP (g) Phosph- Potassi
Tree age (g)
(kg) 60) en orus -um

1 Year 10 280 70 220 35 170 100

2 Year 15 560 140 440 70 340 200

3 Year 20 840 210 660 105 500 300

4 Year 25 1120 280 880 140 680 400

5 Year 30 1400 350 1100 175 850 500

6 Year 35 1680 420 1320 210 1000 600

7 Year and
40 2000 500 1540 250 1200 700
onwards
 MANURE AND FERTILIZER
TIME OF APPLICATION:

• Whole quantity of farmyard manure along with P and K is given during December-
January.

• Half of N should be given in spring before flowering and the remaining half a month
later if irrigation facilities are available.

• The manures and nitrogenous fertilizer should always be applied by broadcasting

evenly in the tree basins.

• Peach is very susceptible to Fe deficiency which can be controlled by foliar

application of 0.5-1.0% ferrous sulphate or by soil application of 50-250 g chelated
Fe (Fe-EDTA) at 20-30 spots around the tree in small hole
 IRRIGATION
• Generally peach requires about 373ha mm water in a season.
• Water stress during growing season may reason in less terminal growth and reduce
winter hardiness.
• A couple of dry weeks and hot weather during pit hardening and the final swell period
adversely affect fruit size
• Excess irrigation cause rot injury and depletion of plant nutrients.
• To get optimum-sized and quality peaches, irrigation is very much essential.
• There should be sufficient moisture in soil before the emergence of leaves and
flowers.
• Frequent irrigations are needed during the fruit development. Lack of irrigation,
particularly during dry and hot summer result in fruit drop, reduced fruit size and
quality.
• In hills, at least two irrigations should be given during the fruit development period.
• Irrigation should be stopped a few days before harvesting and at the time of
dormancy, when the plants should become sufficiently hardened to withstand cool
weather. Due to scarcity of water in hills, drip irrigation is recommended.
 WEED MANAGEMENT
• Mulching
• Simazine and Atrazine (2.9 kg/ha), Turbacil (0.8 kg/ ha) as pre-emergent and
Paraquat (4.0 litres/ha).
• In nursery, Oxyflurofen (0.5 kg/ha) and Diuron (2 kg/ha) are good to control weeds.
 FRUIT THINNING
• To improve prospectus of developing peach industry, it is essential to improve the
marketable size and quality of fruits.
• Thinning is more desirable on mature trees making small annual growth than on
young vigorous plants. Trees growing on light soils, deficient in moisture and
nutrients, would also need fruit thinning.
• The heavy bearing cultivars like Pratap, Flordasun, Shan-i-Punjab, Florda Red,
Sunred, Sharbati, and Sufeda need fruit thinning to minimise danger of limb
breakage.
• Thinning may also be resorted when good-sized uniform fruits are needed for
canning and fancy trade.
• The distance from fruit to fruit after thinning on shoots should be 15 cm and the
average number of leaves/ fruit should be 20 to 25.
FRUIT THINNING
 CHEMICAL THINING
• (Sodium dinitro-o-cresylate )DNOC, 3-CPA, NAA, GA3 , ethephon, carbaryl,
thiourea
• Application of 300 ppm 3-CPA gave adequate thinning in peach.
• Application of Ethephon (300 ppm) with Tween 20 at petal fall in July Elberta is
recommended for optimum fruit thinning.
• In Redhaven peach Ethephon (600 ppm) 20-30 days after fruit set when the fruitlets
are 20-25 cm in diameter, should be used for thinning.
• Pre harvest spray of cacium nitrate 1-1.5% increases storage life of peaches for 6-9
days and reduce the weight loss, respiration rate and incidence of diseases during
storage. Application of GA3 (800-1000 ppm) at full bloom also extends
 YIELD AND MATURITY INDICES
YIELD
• Mature productive peach tree produce 7 to 10 tonnes of fruits per hectare.
• Under HDP 78 MT/ha may be obtained.

MATURITY INDICES:
• Days from full bloom (78-127 days) in early maturing types like Flordasun takes 81
days,
• Fruit size, Firmness, Pit discoloration, freeness of pit, change in ground colour,
sugar to acid ratio.
• Firmness can be measured by pressure tester pressure reading of 8 kg has been
suggested to be appropriate for indicating the maturity of Elberta fruits.
 CONTD..
• In yellow fleshed cultivars, deep orange colour development on fruits is associated
with proper maturity. At least 5% of the pit area also should be brown if the fruit is
to develop good flavor at ripening.
• In the peach variety July Elberta, it takes about 90-95 days after full bloom,
whereas on cv. Elberta it normally takes 100-105 days.
• In low chilling cultivars like Floridasun, fruits should be harvested at 50% colour
development stage.
• HAND PICKING: Is the standard method for harvesting peach fruits.
FOR UNIFORM RIPENING- Spray 500ppm of SADH during pit hardening and
Etheral 100 to 700ppm just before harvest.
 POSTHARVEST MANAGEMENT
PRE-COOLING:
• Peach fruits should be cooled immediately after the harvest so as to retard ripening
process. It increases the keeping quality.
• It can be done either by forced air in storage room or in special precooling
chambers or tunnel.
• Vaccum cooling and hydro cooling have been found suitable for peaches. Rapid
cooling is beneficial because it reduces metabolic activity at lower temperature.
STORAGE:
• The recommended cold storage conditions are -0.6˚-0˚C and 85-90 % relative
humidity. At this temperature can be kept for two weeks. Precooled peaches can be
stored for 28-36 days.
• In controlled atmosphere storage containing 5% CO2 + 1-2% O 2 at 0 ˚C, peaches
can be stored up to 42 days.
• Shelf life can be prolonged by treating the fruit with 1000 ppm KMno4.
 INSECT-PESTS
• PEACH LEAF CURL APHID- Damages floral and vegetative buds.
Control- Spray methyl demeton at 0.02 to 0.03% during leaf emergence
• STEM BORERS- Bark splitting and gum oozing.
Control-Clean the holes and insert cooton wick soaked in gasoline or methyl
parathion (0.2%) and plug them with mud or plaster.
• NEMATODES: Root knot, root lession, dagger nematodes etc.
Control-Resistant rootstocks like Okinawa, Nemaguard
 DISEASES OF PEACH
(1) BROWN ROT (Monilinia fructicola)
SYMPTOMS
• Typical disease symptoms induced by M. fructicola include blossom and twig
blight, cankers, and a fruit rot.
• The fungus often produces conidia profusely on sporodochia on infected areas.
• The first indication of the disease in the spring is the rapid death of blossoms
which, as they turn brown, often become affixed to the twig in a gummy mass,
later becoming covered with a greyish to tan spore mass.
• Frequently, following colonization of the blossom, the fungus enters the shoot
where it causes a canker on which spores are also produced.
•Shoot blight symptoms will occur if the fungus girdles the shoot.
• Leaves on such shoots turn tan to brown and may remain attached for several
weeks.
 DISEASES OF PEACH
MANAGEMENT
• Avoid fruit injury.
•Use sanitation.
•Improve orchard drying conditions.
•Apply fungicides to prevent brown rot.
 DISEASES OF PEACH
(2) BACTERIAL SPOT (Xanthomonas pruni)
SYMPTOMS
• Bacterial spot attacks the fruit, leaves, and current season's twigs.
• Fruit infections appear as tiny purple to black flecks on the fruit surface of
peaches, and as water-soaked spots on nectarines and other smooth skinned
• Prunus spp. later, the skin is "broken" and the flesh beneath the spot becomes
sunken.
• Early season infections result in very deep lesions in the flesh, and
infections within 30 days of harvest result in circular, yellowish spots on the fruit
surface.
• The leaf spots are always angular as a result of being restricted by the veins of the
leaf.
 DISEASES OF PEACH
MANAGEMENT
• Plant varieties that are resistant or tolerant to bacterial spot and avoid those that
are highly susceptible.
• Use antibiotics like terramycin.
 DISEASES OF PEACH
(3)POWDERY MILDEW (Sphaerotheca pannosa)
• Appearance of white mealy powder on young leaves and current years growth and
further buds, leaves, shoots and fruits are infected.
• MANAGEMENT
• Spray karathane (30-50 ml/l water)
• -Before blooms open
• -At the petal fall
• -Two weeks later
 DISEASES OF PEACH
(4) RHIZOPUS ROT (Rhizopus spp.)
• Rhizopus rot favors harvested or over-ripe stone
fruit. Early symptoms, which are small brown
lesions, can be indistinguishable from early brown
rot infection. A diagnostic characteristic of
Rhizopus rot is the fruit skin will slip readily from
the decaying flesh underneath; this does not
happen for brown rot. Warm temperatures
encourage rapid fungal growth, which is
indicative of a fluffy white mass that later turns
dark gray to black as the fungus sporulates.
• MANAGEMENT:
• Application og 10g bavistin 50 WP +5g Vitavax
75%WP/50l water.
• Deep goeing should be avoided.
 DISEASES OF PEACH
(5) PEACH LEAF CURL (Taphrina
deformans)
• PEACH LEAF CURL APHID
(Brachycaudus helichrysi) : Vector
• The aphid sucks sap from the buds and
sprouting foliage causing curling,
yellowing and thickening of leaves.
• The activity of aphid is seen with the
emergence of new growth during
March .
• Floral buds also become weak and result
in poor setting.
Control:
The pest is controlled by spray of 0.025 % methyl demeton ( 200 ml metasystox 25
EC) or dimethoate 0.03% ( 200 ml Rogar 30 EC) in 200 litres of water 7-10 days
before flowering. The spray should be repeated after 5 days.
 DISEASES OF PEACH

BACTERIAL GUMMOSIS (Pseudomonas syringae pv. Syringae)-

• Circular to elongated soaked gumming lesions or bark and fruits, gummy
pockets on main branch and lateral shoots.
• Control- Scrap the gum pockets and paints with mashobra paste.
• VIRAL DISEASE- Peach yellow and little leaf peach
• Control-
• Sanitation measures
• Removal of diseased parts,
• Control of vector as leaf hoppers, aphids, nematodes
• Follow certified bud wood programme.
 PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER
• SPLIT PIT AND GUMMING-
• During pit hardening, fruit shows splitting at the joint of dorsal and ventral side of
the fruit. It is due to prolonged dry period followed by sudden rain resulting in
fluctuation of atmospheric temperature and humidity
• This splitting is accompanied by exudation of gum which may fill the entire pit
cavity surrounding the kernel.
• Fruits are misshapened and open at the stem end.
• Seeds are abortive.
• Fruits unfit for consumption.
• Any practice or weather condition that reduces the fruit set and encourages large
fruit size may accentuate the occurrence of split or shattered pits.
• To minimize this problem avoid -excessive fruit thinning, and girdling, heavy
irrigations or high nitrogen applications close to harvest.
SPLIT PIT AND GUMMING
 PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER

• SUNSCALD
• Due to constant exposure to sunlight cause sunscalding on tree trunk, young twigs
and branches.
• Paint the exposed area with lime paste and provide shade by wrapping straw or hay
around the trunk and branches.
 REFERENCES
• Fruit Growing by Dr. J. S. Bal
• Fruit Crops of India by Dr. R. G. Tyagi and P. C. Das
• Fruits by Ranjit singh and S. K. Saxena
• Temperate Fruits and Nuts by Dr. Kaushal Kumar Misra and Dr. Satish Chand
THANKYOU