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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #259881
Title: Progress in the management of peach fungal gummosis (Botryosphaeria dothidea) in the Southeastern U.S. peach industry

Author
item Beckman, Thomas
item REILLY, CHUCK - Retired ARS Employee
item Pusey, Paul
item Hotchkiss, Michael - Mike

Submitted to: Journal of the American Pomological Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/3/2011
Publication Date: 11/8/2011
Citation: Beckman, T.G., Reilly, C.C., Pusey, P.L., Hotchkiss, M.W. 2011. Progress in the management of peach fungal gummosis (Botryosphaeria dothidea) in the Southeastern U.S. peach industry. Journal of American Pomological Society. 65(4):192-200.

Interpretive Summary: Fungal gummosis is an important disease of peach that can significantly reduce growth and yield by up to 40% on susceptible varieties. To date we have yet to identify a registered fungicide that can provide effective suppression of this disease. However, several barrier treatments have shown great promise in this respect. Our work has also demonstrated that several key varieties have moderate to high susceptibility to this disease. More disturbing, though, is the finding that many recently introduced varieties are highly susceptible to this disease. In the absence of a chemical control program the development of genetic resistance takes on added importance.

Technical Abstract: Peach fungal gummosis, incited by Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug.:Fr.) Ces. & De Not., has been shown to be capable of reducing growth and yield by up to 40% on susceptible peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] cultivars. Initial field screens demonstrated that several important peach cultivars utilized in the southeastern U.S. peach industry were very susceptible to this disease. At this time there is no management program for this disease other than orchard practices to reduce inoculum in the orchard. In several field tests under high inoculum pressure no fungicide tested appeared to provide effective control. However, several ‘barrier’ treatments appeared promising. The relative susceptibility of additional peach cultivars, including many recently introduced, was determined.