Peach Leaf Curl Disease (Taphrina deformans) Taphrina deformans is a fungus and plant pathogen, and a causal agent[s] of peach leaf curl in this power point presentation we see about alternate hosts Characteristic symptoms Disease-cycle and some management practices to manage disease.

1. Peach Leaf Curl
Taphrina deformans
Muhammad Ammar
University college of agriculture
University of sargodha

2. Hosts
• Peach
• Nectarine
• Almond
• Related ornamental species

3. • Common in unsprayed orchards.
• Serious in rainy years, cause defoliation of
unsprayed trees early in the growing season.
• Defoliation…. Weakness…. Winter Injury

4. Symptoms
• Distorted, puckered and thickened leaves.
• Reddish or purple coloration.
Deformed leaves of peach

5. • Later on turn gray with a powdery
appearance.
• Shortly these leaves turn yellow or brown and
drop.

6. • Infected fruits drop shortly.
• Infected twigs are swollen and stunted,
usually with deformed leaves at their tips.

7. Disease Cycle
• Spores from leaf surface washed or wind
blown onto peach twigs and buds.
• Lodged in bud scales or crevices in the bark
throughout the summer and following winter.
• Germinate during rain as the buds open in the
spring.

8. • Spores produce bud conidia during periods of
wet, cool weather.
• If no spore germination occurs at bud break,
then little damage results for that year.
• Spores remain inactive and little or no
infection occurs during dry period.

9. Management
• Sulfur or copper-based fungicides.
• Spray the entire tree after 90% defoliation in the fall.
• Spray in early spring just before the buds open.
• Clean the ground beneath the trees during winter months.
• Prune and destroy infected plant parts as they appear.
• Maintain tree health and vigor by cutting back more fruit than
normal, watering regularly and applying organic fertilizer high in
nitrogen.