 Now is the best time of the year to treat peach trees to control PEACH LEAF CURL, a disease which causes red, warty-like growths to develop on peach leaves. Spores of the fungal pathogen, Taphrina deformans , survive the winter on bark and buds. During cool, wet spring weather, these spores can infect new leaves just as they emerge from the buds. Because the infections occur so very early in the growing season, applying fungicides later in an attempt to control this disease will have no effect. Both peach and nectarine leaf tissues are susceptible to infection for a short period of time. As the leaf tissue matures, it becomes resistant to infection.
Symptoms of leaf curl appear in the spring with developing leaves becoming severely distorted. The leaf distortion is easily recognized by a reddish or purple cast on the thickened and/or puckered areas on peach or nectarine leaves. The leaf curl fungus damages peach trees by causing an early leaf drop. A lack of sufficient leaves will reduce the size and quality of the fruit. Additionally, leaf loss weakens the trees making them more susceptible to other diseases and to winter injury. Weakened trees also tend to produce less fruit the following season. Control of this fungus only requires a single fungicide spray, but timing the application is critical for success. A fixed copper spray, thoroughly covering the entire tree, just as peach or nectarine buds begin to swell, will provide control of this disease. For more information see:
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Last Updated ( Friday, 04 April 2008 11:59 )
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BYGL 
