Sticky gum on my nectarine fruit - Ask Extension
Hi,I live in Houston, Tx, and for the past several years, the fruit on my nectarine tree have consistently been damaged by a clear, very sticky gum th...
Knowledgebase
Sticky gum on my nectarine fruit #115023
Asked February 19, 2013, 12:34 AM EST
Hi,
I live in Houston, Tx, and for the past several years, the fruit on my nectarine tree have consistently been damaged by a clear, very sticky gum that forms on the surface of the fruit. The fruit seem to stop maturing after the appearance of the gum and eventually shrivel and fall off. This gum appears *only* on the fruit, and does not appear anywhere else on the tree (such as the trunk or branches). I've attached a picture of a shriveled nectarine with the clear gum on it. Do you know what is causing this, and how to prevent or treat it? Thanks!
Patrick Walsh
I live in Houston, Tx, and for the past several years, the fruit on my nectarine tree have consistently been damaged by a clear, very sticky gum that forms on the surface of the fruit. The fruit seem to stop maturing after the appearance of the gum and eventually shrivel and fall off. This gum appears *only* on the fruit, and does not appear anywhere else on the tree (such as the trunk or branches). I've attached a picture of a shriveled nectarine with the clear gum on it. Do you know what is causing this, and how to prevent or treat it? Thanks!
Patrick Walsh
Harris County Texas
Expert Response
The clear gum-like substance is produced by the peach fruit in response to a wound of some type. Typically it would be from the punctures made when a stink bug or leaf footed bug feeds on the fruit. Spraying an approved insecticide at the recommended times could help reduce damage from these insects which are generally referred to as "catfacing" insects because of the deformation their feeding causes to older fruit. The following web site offers a spray schedule for peaches, plums and pecans. Click on the yellow "view pdf" box to see the publication.
https://agrilifebookstore.org/publications_details.cfm?whichpublication=206&orderby=pubnumber&SIMPLE...
Other things can cause fruit damage and the production of the gum substance including damage from the plum curculio which lays an egg under the skin that hatches out into a grub that feeds around the pit or seed.
https://agrilifebookstore.org/publications_details.cfm?whichpublication=206&orderby=pubnumber&SIMPLE...
Other things can cause fruit damage and the production of the gum substance including damage from the plum curculio which lays an egg under the skin that hatches out into a grub that feeds around the pit or seed.
Skip,
Thank you so much. This is fabulous, detailed information that I can act on. I really appreciate it and hope to have some delicious nectarines this season with your help. Thank you again.
Patrick Walsh
Thank you so much. This is fabulous, detailed information that I can act on. I really appreciate it and hope to have some delicious nectarines this season with your help. Thank you again.
Patrick Walsh
