Peach Yellows Symptoms on Peach
Peach Yellows (phytoplasma): The disease has been observed in Texas
but is rarely found. Fruits on diseased trees ripen from a few days
to three weeks prematurely, have a bitter taste, and are reduced in
size. Varieties which normally have red skin are abnormally
bright. Leaves are chlorotic, fold upward, and tend to droop.
Infected trees leaf out prematurely. The disease is spread by
grafting and feeding by the plum leafhopper Macropsis trimaculata
(Fitch). After infection, it may be 40 days to three years before
disease symptoms are visible. Use only bud wood from healthy trees
and destroy any trees which show typical disease symptoms.
February, 1996
