Peach and nectarine orchards in New Jersey continue to sustain considerable shoot death and fruit loss from constriction canker, caused by the fungal plant pathogen Phomospis amygdali. Many of our research orchards at RAREC this season had an above average number of cankers. The majority of infections that took place last fall and this past spring have girdled the shoots, resulting in dead or blighted branches. Any fruit distal to the cankers on these shoots have already fallen off or remain attached, slowly drying up and shriveling. This yield loss directly impacts your bottom line.

Breaking the Disease Cycle

Cankers on infected shoots are the source of inoculum. [Read more…]