Gyeongbuk Agricultural Research and Extension Services Warns of Spread of Peach 'Bacterial Spot Disease'... Urges Thorough Pest Control During Growing Season

Gyeongbuk Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Gui-yeol] The Gyeongbuk Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services has warned that there is a risk of the spread of ‘bacterial spot disease (cheongongbyeong)’ in peach orchards due to high temperatures and strong winds this spring, urging farmers to actively prevent and control the disease.

According to recent preliminary surveys on peach diseases and pests, the occurrence of bacterial spot disease in May has decreased compared to last year, but if rainfall in June is similar to the average year, there is a high possibility of the disease spreading during the growing season.

In orchards where bacterial spot disease occurred last year, the vigor of peach trees has weakened this year due to high temperatures and drought, and if it rains, the likelihood of disease spread increases.

Bacterial spot disease (fruit).

Additionally, due to the impact of high temperatures, the population of stink bugs in major peach-producing areas has increased, causing damage to young fruits, raising concerns about infection through sap-sucking wounds.

Bacterial spot disease causes small spots on leaves that gradually expand, turn brown, and eventually the brown areas fall off, creating holes.

On the fruit, brown water-soaked spots appear, with sunken lesions that crack and form irregularly shaped spots.

The disease is particularly severe when strong winds blow or there is heavy rainfall, and infection easily occurs after wounds are caused on leaves and fruits by strong winds or pest damage.

Therefore, antibiotics such as oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid, validamycin, streptomycin, and zinc lactate lime solution should be sprayed periodically until June.

Also, since bacterial spot disease easily infects through wounds caused by stink bug damage on young fruits, simultaneous control during the growing season can increase effectiveness.

As a cultural control method, installing windbreak nets in orchards heavily affected by wind can reduce wind speed and help decrease bacterial spot disease.

When applying pesticides, high-pressure spraying can promote infection through wounds, so when using SS sprayers, high-pressure spraying should be avoided and spraying should be done below 2000 rpm.

Shin Yong-seup, director of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Agricultural Research and Extension Services, said, “Every year, bacterial spot disease in peaches causes significant damage to farmers by reducing marketability and yield,” and added, “This year, due to high temperatures, the occurrence of stink bugs is increasing, so bacterial spot disease is expected during the growing season. We urge thorough control measures to reduce damage until harvest.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.