Peach

Abstract

Peach (Prunus persica [L.] Batsch 2n=2x=16) is a fruit tree crop, native to China, that is widely cultivated in temperate and subtropical zones through the world, being the most important temperate fruit crop after apple. This tree crop has the particularity that, despite being a diploid species, has hundreds of cultivars currently released on the market with a diversity in flesh and skin colors, textures, rates of softening, shapes, sizes, and flavors. This diversity resulted from decades of breeding improvements for traits related to fruit quality and postharvest performance but with less success for resistance/tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress conditions. In addition, current breeding efforts emphasize the development of dwarfing or more adapted rootstocks for different soil types and abiotic and biotic challenges to optimize orchard management. Flat peaches have been a botanic curiosity in Western countries, but it was not until 2002 that they gained prominence, especially in Spain, the current leading producer and exporter worldwide. Brown rot is the major fungal disease in most regions of the world. Jacket rot, green fruit rot, gray mold decay, scab, leaf curl, and powdery mildew are other important diseases. Among the key pests that have been considered, more emphasis has been placed on the taxonomy, geographic distribution, seasonal biology and management of two fruit flies (Ceratitis capitata, Bactrocera zonata), two fruit and twig moths (Anarsia lineatella, Grapholitha molesta), a true bug (Halyomorpha halys), an armored scale (Comstockaspis perniciosus), a plant weevil (Conotrachelus nenuphar), and two peach borers (Synanthedon exitiosa, Synanthedon pictipes). Besides pests and diseases, peach is characterized by reduced storage potential due to incidence of chilling-related disorders that are mainly evident as dry mealy texture and internal breakdown. This chapter provides an overview of the status of peach production, detailing the main achievements and challenges of current breeding programs, key aspects of orchard management and fruit development and growth, and the principal diseases and pests, as well as outlining critical points regarding harvest and postharvest handling.