Production of peaches in California
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
California is the largest grower of peaches in the United States, producing about 70% of the total.[1]
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The California Freestone Peach Association (CFPA)[2] and California Canning Peach Association/California Cling Peach Board (CCPA)[2][3] represent the industry.[4] (The CFPA is a separate incorporation that is operated by the CCPA's staff.) The majority of the country's peaches are grown here, in 2020[update] 468,000 short tons (425,000 t) for sales of $308.3 million.[5] Since 1980 the total value of the harvest has been slightly increasing.[5] Peach acreage has been declining however, down to 73,000 acres (30,000 ha) as of 2020[update].[5]
In April 2026, Del Monte shut down its major warehouses in California. As of May 2026, California farmers plan on cutting down 420,000 peach trees following Del Monte's bankruptcy with $9 million of assistance from the United States Department of Agriculture.[6]
Economics
In 2014, California led US peach production, followed by South Carolina, then Georgia.[7]
As of 2021[update] cling deliveries for processing purposes have been on a downward trend for years.[8] From 430,000 short tons (390,000 t) in 2010, delivered tonnage declined to 225,000 short tons (204,000 t) in 2021.[8] Cling yield shows no clear trend over the same time, bouncing between 18.1 short tons per acre (41 t/ha) and 15.3 short tons per acre (34 t/ha).[8] As of 2022, prices of clingstone peaches had been trending mostly upward for several years, from $317 per short ton ($349/t) in 2012 to $518 per short ton ($571/t). In 2022, CCPA (California Canning Peach Association) expected deliveries of clingstone peaches to be between 214,200–232,400 short tons (194,300–210,800 t) from a yield of 15.3–16.6 short tons per acre (34–37 t/ha).[8]
Breeding
UCD hosts one of the major breeding programs in the country.[9] Most of the private breeding programs for peach in the country are found in California, with a significant amount of the public breeding also being performed here but also elsewhere in the country.[9]
Cultivars
Pests
See Cal ag § Colletotrichum acutatum for the cause of Peach Anthracnose here.[15]
Arthropod
Some arthropod pests of peach in California are:[16]
- Black Peach Aphid (Brachycaudus persicae)
- Brown Mite (Bryobia rubrioculus)
- European Fruit Lecanium (Parthenolecanium corni)
- European Red Mite (Panonychus ulmi)
- Fruit Tree Leafroller (Archips argyrospila)
- Katydids (Tettigoniidae)
- Oblique Banded Leaf Roller (Choristoneura rosaceana)
- Omnivorous Leafroller (Platynota stultana)
- Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta)
- Pacific Flatheaded Borer (Chrysobothris mali)
- Peach Silver Mite (Aculus cornutus)
- Peach Twig Borer (Anarsia lineatella)
- Peachtree Borer (Synanthedon exitiosa)
- Plant Bugs/Lygus Bugs (Miridae) including:
- The Prune Limb Borer (Bondia comonana) and the American Plum Borer (Euzophera semifuneralis)
- San Jose Scale (Quadraspidiotus perniciosus)
- Shothole Borer (Scolytus rugulosus)
- Stink Bugs (Pentatomidae)
- Webspinning Spider Mites:
- Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), see Cal ag § Western Flower Thrips
Diseases
Some diseases of peach in California include:[16][17]
- Armillaria Root Rot – see Cal ag § Armillaria Root Rot.
- Bacterial Canker (Pseudomonas syringae)
- Brown Rot Blossom and Twig Blight (Cal ag § Monilinia fructicola, occasionally Cal ag § Monilinia laxa)
- Crown Gall (Agrobacterium tumefaciens)
- Jacket Rot (Cal ag § Botrytis cinerea, M. fructicola, M. laxa, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
- Peach Leaf Curl (Taphrina deformans)
- Phytophthora Root and Crown Rot (Phytophthora spp.)
- Powdery Mildew (Podosphaera cunningtonii)
- Ripe Fruit Rot (B. cinerea, M. fructicola, Rhizopus spp.)
- Rust (Tranzschelia discolor)
- Scab (Cladosporium carpophilum)
- Shot Hole Disease of Peach (Wilsonomyces carpophilus)
- Verticillium Wilt (Verticillium dahliae)
UC IPM provides information about commonly used fungicides[18] and fungicide efficacy. (See also Cal ag § Fungicides.)
Peach Yellow Leaf Roll was first discovered in the Sacramento Valley in 1948, but remained uncommon until an epidemic in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[19] For the causative organism see Cal ag § Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri.
Nematode diseases
Some nematode diseases of peach in California are:[20]
- Dagger nematode (Xiphinema americanum)
- Ring nematode (Mesocriconema xenoplax syn. Criconemella xenoplax)
- Root Lesion Nematode (Pratylenchus vulnus and other Pratylenchus spp.)
- Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne arenaria, Cal ag § Meloidogyne hapla, Cal ag § Meloidogyne incognita, and Cal ag § Meloidogyne javanica)
Integrated pest management
Regional Integrated Pest Management Centers (Regional IPM Centers) hosts a suggested IPM plan for peach.[21] UC IPM provides even more detailed integrated pest management information.[16]
Fungal disease IPM
UC IPM recommends treatment timings[22] and resistance management practices[23] specifically for peach IPM.