Knowledgebase

Cankers or something else? #878650

Asked July 24, 2024, 7:37 PM EDT

Greetings, 

I have a small home orchard with Peaches, Nectarines, Apples and Pears. I did summer pruning last season and winter pruning this season to get rid of dead wood, crossing branches, control growth and make sure to keep an open center on the Peaches and Nectarines and a modified central leader approach on the apples and pears. 

Around late May to early June, I began to notice some what appears to be cankering starting on some of the 1st year growth of the Peaches and Nectarines (we had a hard freeze after pollination that killed most of the crop, so only one or two Peaches this year and the Nectarines flowered but didn't produce any fruit. 

Around mid-June a different type of canker appeared on a few of my apples, with what almost looks like shredded bark. 

I am trying to identify what type of cankers these are and what my best approach would be for removing them (prune them now {during the next dry period}, or wait until dormant season so as not to spread them)? Further, how could I prevent these cankers in the future? I sprayed a couple of rounds of Captan early in the season, but I reached the limit of applications according to the bottle. 

I will add that where I am it was hot and really humid a lot of the late spring and summer so far, but mostly dry until the last few weeks. The recent wetness is probably why all my Peaches and Nectarines started sending out a lot of sap (I checked for borers but didn't see any at the base and lower limbs).

I attached a few pictures, I have many more if you need them or I can take additional as well. I was only allowed to attach 3 so, I put in one of an apple and two with a peach.

Tuscaloosa County Alabama

Expert Response

Good afternoon,
Reviewing your attached photos, it appears that you have phomopsis twig blight. Pruning out is the best you can do this time of year. Fungicides work best as a preventive measure. In addition to Captan, pre-harvest DMI fungicides or strobilurin fungicides. 

Disease Alert: Phomopsis Twig Blight Common on Peaches this Spring - Alabama Cooperative Extension System (aces.edu)

If you would like to submit a sample to our plant pathology lab, you may do so. We have a lab in Birmingham and in Auburn. Follow this link for directions and care of submitting a sample. 
Plant Diagnostic Lab Services - Alabama Cooperative Extension System (aces.edu)

Lucy Ellington Replied July 25, 2024, 1:13 PM EDT

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