# Production of peaches in California

California is the largest grower of peaches in the United States, producing about 70% of the total.
The California Freestone Peach Association (CFPA) and California Canning Peach Association/California Cling Peach Board (CCPA) represent the industry. (Although the CFPA is a separate incorporation, it has always been operated by the CCPA's staff.) The overwhelming majority of the country's peaches are grown here, in 2020 468,000 short tons (425,000 t) for sales of $308.3 million. Since 1980 the total value of the harvest has been slightly increasing. The acreage (hectares) planted in peach has been declining however, down to 73,000 acres (30,000 ha) as of 2020.

## Economics

In 2014, California lead US peach production, followed by South Carolina, then Georgia.
As of 2021 cling deliveries for processing purposes have been on a downward trend for years. From 430,000 short tons (390,000 t) in 2010, delivered tonnage declined to 225,000 short tons (204,000 t) in 2021. 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).
Prices have been trending mostly upward, from $317 per short ton ($349/t) in 2012 to $518 per short ton ($571/t).
CCPA expects 2022 deliveries 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).

## Breeding of peach

UCD hosts one of the major breeding programs in the country. 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.

### Cultivars of peach

UCANR recommends cultivars for the state:
* Autumn Flame
* Elegant Lady
* Sweet Dream
* July Flame
* O'Henry – Created here and has remained popular ever since.
* Brittney Lane
* Crimson Lady
* Rich Lady
* Spring Snow
* Summer Sweet
* Super Rich
* Zee Lady
* September Sun
* Snow Giant

## Pests of peach

See Cal ag § Colletotrichum acutatum for the cause of Peach Anthracnose here.

### Arthropods in peach

The most common insect pests are:
* 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:
** Calocoris norvegicus
** Lygus elisus
** and Lygus hesperus
* 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:
** See Cal ag § Pacific Spider Mite
** and Cal ag § Two-Spotted Spider Mite
* Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), see Cal ag § Western Flower Thrips

### Diseases of peach

The most common unicellular diseases are:
* 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 leucotricha, Sphaerotheca pannosa)
* 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 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. For the causative organism see Cal ag § Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri.

### Nematode diseases of peach

The most common nematode diseases are:
* Cal ag § Dagger Nematode
* 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)

### Weeds in peach

The most common weeds are:
* Hare Barley (Hordeum leporinum)
* Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli)
* Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)
* Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
* Wild Blackberry (Rubus spp.)
* Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)
* Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum)
* Ripgut Brome (B. diandrus)
* California Burclover (Medicago polymorpha)
* Canarygrass (Phalaris spp.)
* Common chickweed (Stellaria media)
* Clover (Trifolium spp.)
* Crabgrass (Digitaria spp.)
* Cudweeds (Gnaphalium spp.)
* Dallis Grass (Paspalum dilatatum)
* Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
* Curly Dock (Rumex crispus)
* Fescue (Festuca spp.)
* Fiddlenecks (Amsinckia spp.)
* Filaree (Erodium spp.)
* Hairy Fleabane, see Cal ag § Hairy Fleabane
* Fluvellin (Kickxia spp.)
* Foxtail (Setaria spp.)
* Nettleleaf Goosefoot (Chenopodium murale)
* Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
* Henbit (Lamium amplexicaule)
* Marestail/Horseweed, see Cal ag § Marestail
* Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)
* Junglerice (Echinochloa colona)
* Common Knotweed (Polygonum arenastrum)
* Common Lambsquarters (Chenopodium album)
* Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata)
* Prickly Lettuce (Lactuca serriola)
* Little Mallow (Cheeseweed, Malva parviflora)
* Weedy Mustard (Brassica spp.)
* Burning Nettle (Urtica urens)
* Nightshade Weeds (Solanum spp.)
* Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus)
* Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
* Wild Oat (Avena fatua)
* Oxalis (Oxalis spp.)
* Pigweed (Amaranthus spp.)
* Pineappleweed (Chamomilla suaveolens)
* Buckhorn Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)
* Rabbitfoot Polypogon (Polypogon monspeliensis)
* Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris)
* Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
* Wild Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum)
* Red Maids (Desert Rockpurslane, Calandrinia ciliata)
* London Rocket (Sisymbrium irio)
* Weedy Ryegrass (Lolium spp.)
* Sandburs (Cenchrus spp.)
* Shepherd's-Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
* Sowthistles (Sonchus spp.)
* Sprangletops (Leptochloa spp.)
* Spotted Spurge (Chamaesyce maculata)
* Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus)
* Tall Annual Willowherb (Epilobium brachycarpum)

## Integrated pest management in peach

Regional Integrated Pest Management Centers (Regional IPM Centers) hosts a suggested IPM plan for peach. UC IPM provides even more detailed integrated pest management information.

### Fungal disease IPM in peach

UC IPM recommends treatment timings and resistance management practices specifically for peach IPM.