Peach Tree Short Life Disease

Age

• Peach trees between the ages of three and seven are commonly affected by short life disease. Young trees typically die in the spring when affected by this disease.

Identification

• Short life disease symptoms include early spring death for spring trees or tree collapse during leaf development. Looking inside tree bark to see whether dead trunk tissue is present above the soil line is necessary to view symptoms. Any sign of internal browning that extends to the soil line of the tree is likely attributed to an infection of short life disease.

Development

• Factors such as cold damage or damage from nematodes will weaken a tree's resistance to short life disease. Nematodes, also known as roundworms, are a parasitic species that attacks peach trees. Bacterial cankers from short life disease easily prey on weakened trees and can kill a young tree rapidly.

Prevention/Solution

• It is important to fumigate peach trees or orchards before planting to prevent ring nematode. Crop rotation is an alternative to chemical application on peach trees. Rotation requires carefully scheduling to plant a peach orchard following a crop that does not provide habitat for nematodes.

Warning

• Once nematodes have infected a tree, there is no way to control their presence. Short life disease will have easy access to young plants if preventative action is not taken.