Knowledgebase
Peach Tree Problem - Bacterial Spot?? #753305
Asked June 01, 2021, 3:06 PM EDT
Kent County Maryland
Expert Response
Hi- the leaf curling could be due to environmental stress- variable spring weather and transplant shock. Bark peeling could have been caused by rough handling or rubbing.
The leaf symptoms are consistent with bacterial spot, a common disease that affects foliage, shoots, and fruit. It's also possible that weather conditions caused some or all of the symptoms. But if the symptoms are spreading, especially after a hard rainfall, it could very well be bacterial spot. You may want to search the name of your cultivar + bacterial spot to determine if it's susceptible (most peach cultivars are susceptible to some degree).
Copper sprays before green tissue shows in spring and again after leaf drop in fall can help control bacterial spot. Copper is known to burn peach foliage (see Penn State page below).
Web pages about this disease:
https://extension.umd.edu/resource/peach-and-cherry-diseases
https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/management_of_bacterial_spot_on_peaches_and_nectarines
https://extension.psu.edu/stone-fruit-disease-bacterial-spot
VA Tech home fruit spray schedule (section 3 beginning on page 98; covers all major pests and diseases except bacterial spot):
https://mgnv.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2021PestManagementGuideHomeGroundsandAnimals.pdf
Jon