What Type of Peaches Will Grow the Most Mold?

Symptoms

• Brown flowers are often the first sign that a fruit tree has brown rot. Millions of spores multiply on the dying flowers, and the infection soon spreads to other healthy plant tissue. Cankers form on branches and the fungus begins killing shoots as it spreads to the twigs. The fungus can kill a peach in two days, leaving behind a shriveled brown fruit called a mummy. Fruit that is damaged during harvest is especially vulnerable to brown rot, even though the mold may not be noticeable until after the fruit is in storage.

Sanitary Practice

• Sanitary methods deter diseases in fruit, just as they do with humans. Remove any fallen fruit from the ground, and strip any dying fruit from the tree. Prune out any tree cankers or diseased twigs during the dormant season, usually late winter, before the disease gets started. Extension educator Matt Montgomery at the University of Illinois recommends using an insecticide after 75 percent of the blossoms have fallen from the tree. Insecticide sprays deter Plum curculio, the insect that damages stone-fruit trees, giving an entryway to diseases such as brown rot.

Resistant Cultivars

• According to plant botanist Jenna Beckerman at Purdue University, only three varieties of peaches have reported resistance to brown rot. Elberta, Glohaven and Babygold #5 are not as susceptible to the disease as other stone fruit trees in the Midwest. Since there are so few resistant cultivars, fungicide programs are part of the recommended culture of fruit tree management. Spray programs begin when the trees bloom and continue through the growing season.

Timing Considerations

• Early-blooming cultivars are more disease-resistant than late-blooming varieties. Roncai Yuan, tree fruit extension specialist at Virginia Cooperative Extension, recommends planting Redhaven, Encore and Cresthaven cultivars for their early fruiting tendencies. All those varietals produce fruit that is good for cooking, desserts and freezing. When purchasing peach trees, choose trees that are approximately 4 feet in height, with trunk diameters of at least one-half inch. Always buy from a reputable source.