The peach bulb

the peach bubble it’s a cryptogamic disease a, i.e. caused by fungi, its name can easily be attributed to the bubbled and misshapen appearance it causes on the affected shoots, leaves and fruits.

As one can easily guess from its name, this pathology mainly affects peach although it may affect also to other stone fruit trees like the almond tree A widespread disease, the peach blister is capable of seriously damaging both the plants and the entire peach production. Peach being a fruit commonly appreciated by young and old, its tree is cultivated intensively in many regions such as Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Sicily and Puglia. In these fishing areas, the bubble becomes a real scourge, appearing in the form of epidemic . However, the disease can also affect individual plants in the garden or small orchards.

In one biological agriculture There are several strategies for prevent and counter the problem the main thing is to be fast in the intervention. that’s why it’s worth it investigate symptoms and conditions in which the pathogenic spores proliferate.

Contents [Ocultar]

• Ideal conditions for the pathogen

• Symptoms: how to recognize the disease

• How to fight peach blister

  • Prevent peach blisters

  • What to do if the peach trees are hit

  • Peach Blister Treatments

ideal conditions for the pathogen

The responsible for the peach bubble is the Distorting Taphrine , a phytopathogen belonging to the ascomycetes. In winter, the fungus is present on the surface of the plant, especially on the bark in the form of a blastospore. Damage occurs mainly in the spring especially if the seasonal trend is very wet and rainy and if preventive fungicide treatments have not been carried out.

the spores of Distorting Taphrine in fact, they resume their pathogenic activity at the end of winter, a period which coincides with the vegetative resumption of the peach tree . the spores begin to multiply on the first shoots in the spring, and only germinate when the plants remain moist for several hours at a temperature of around 7-8°C . For this reason, special attention should be paid to periods when these temperatures are accompanied by humid weather or frequent rains.

Nectarines are most susceptible to this disease due to the lack of down, which is a natural barrier against the pathogen. If average temperatures are below 18°C, infection will occur in just 2-3 weeks, while with temperatures above 25°C and low humidity, the infectious process will stop.

Symptoms: how to recognize the disease

Peach blister is a fairly easy disease to recognize , given the very particular symptoms it induces, already well described in the name of the disease itself. The symptomatology of this fungal disease is observed in shoots, leaves, flowers and fruits during their growth.

• bubbles in the leaves . The leaves are the first to appear obvious boils ; these symptoms increase over time until they affect the entire surface of the leaf. The parenchymal tissues affected by the alteration take on a more intense thickness and turgidity than normal and are covered with a whitish velvety formation. The pigmentation becomes wine-red or chlorinated, taking on a waxy appearance. Over time, these parts of the leaf flap will resist rapid degeneration until the leaf itself falls off.
• Growths on shoots . The shoots show fleshy growths, thickening, malformations and shortening of the internodes.
• misshapen flowers . Flowers affected by the fungus are deformed.
• fruit shoots . The fruits affected by the bubble have more or less large buds, very light green or reddish. Fungal attacks on peach trees do not occur every year, but are closely related to weather conditions and especially to rains in the period after flowering.

How to fight peach blister

To fight against the peach bubble in organic farming, the first fundamental attention that must be paid is Prevention , which is carried out with a correct cultivation method. Second, it is important recognize the illness suffered and intervene correctly when identifying your symptoms.

If we think that our orchard is easily subject to the bubble at certain times, it is better to plan preventive treatments . However, we always keep in mind that any treatment, even biological, can have environmental consequences, so it is best, whenever possible, to avoid the use of fungicides.

Peach Blister Prevention

Prevention begins with avoiding the formation of one of the conditions in which Taphrina deformans spores proliferate: humidity. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to process the soil avoiding water stagnation: this generates humidity, which is more conducive to the spread of the disease.

Also watering must be done on the ground and do not wet the aerial parts of the plant, always to avoid humidity.

A well-trimmed peach it is less prone to problems, since the foliage will be better ventilated and lit, with good air circulation. For this purpose, you can read how to prune the peach tree.

All-natural treatments in decoctions or macerations of horsetail they help to strengthen the natural defenses of plants and are completely ecological.

What to do if peach trees are affected

Even respecting the precautions that can be found in the fishing blister, in this case it will be necessary to carry out appropriate size the first objective will be remove the most affected parts burning any potentially infectious branches.

In every cutting operation, it is important disinfect tools to prevent the transfer of diseases from one plant to another. We can use a 10% sodium hypochlorite solution or household bleach.

Peach Blister Treatments

If we want to effectively prevent peach blisters, we can choose preventive fungicide treatments using products authorized in organic farming like copper. Here is a possible schedule of interventions:

• 1st treatment : The first purely preventive treatment will be carried out in November ; It must be done at the end of leaf fall and its purpose is to neutralize the spores of Distorting Taphrine present in the plant. Copper oxychloride is the active ingredient in the product to be used. This first biological treatment is of great importance and can be carried out in a single solution or in two operations. In case you want to do a single treatment, you can use a product that contains copper oxychloride at 50%. If you decide to do two operations (one 20 days apart) you will use a 35% copper oxychloride product.
• 2nd treatment : The second treatment must be done end of winter (in the period from the end of January to mid-February), with the onset of the breaking of shoots to the wood and only in anticipation of heavy rains; indeed, under these conditions, the pathogenic activity of Taprine begins and treatment with 35% Cu oxychloride must be carried out immediately.
• 3rd treatment : Occasionally, only in years when there are heavy rains two or three weeks after bud break, a third intervention may be necessary at the pink bud stage (with swollen shoots) because the fungicide applied at the end of winter will no longer be able to protect the plant. However, remember that at this stage of the plant, in organic farming, products containing copper cannot be used ; alternatively, potassium bicarbonate (K) or calcium polysulphide (2%) until the end of April.

When treating, always remember to wear gloves, a mask and a disposable suit: the fact that a fungicide product is authorized in organic farming does not mean that it is not toxic.