Pest Management Many birds, mammals, insects, fungi, and bacteria compete with humans for the tender, nourishing stone fruits. The two most serious diseases of all stone fruits are brown rot and perennial cankers. Symptoms are blighted flowers and twigs, and powdery grey-brown spores erupting from ripening fruit. When rains occur during bloom and near harvest, this disease is a real problem. Removal of all rotten and mummified fruit from the orchard to break the pest's life cycle is the most important control strategy for brown rot.
Several fungicides provide effective control if applications are precisely timed.
Minimizing injuries such as pruning cuts and freeze injury during the dormant season, and maintaining adequate soil drainage, pH and fertility are essential for canker control. Both attack and disfigure the fruit, causing it to rot, and often drop prematurely. These pests are very difficult to control without insecticides during the post-bloom period. Tarnished plant bugs feed on many plants, especially clovers and other legumes, and they move up into trees causing the most damage during the weeks during and after bloom. Birds, opossums and raccoons love to eat stone fruits, and can steal your whole crop in just a few nights.