New shoots are shorter than normal and distorted. The white mycelium and spores of the fungus may cover infected leaves and shoots or may appear as whitish patches. The fungus overwinters in dormant peach buds. Flower buds of infected shoots often do not survive the winter. As leaf buds expand in spring, young leaves become infected and the spores produced on the leaves serve to infect young fruit, new shoot growth, and newly expanding leaves.
Leaves are susceptible to infection when young but become resistant as they age.
Fruit are also more susceptible when young and become resistant at pit hardening. Disease Management Routine fungicides adequately control this disease. These sprays should be initiated at petal fall and continued until pit hardening.