Ksenija Gasic, Stone Fruit Team Leader, Clemson University and Mercy Olmstead, Extension Team Leader, UF

One of the most serious diseases affecting peach production worldwide is bacterial spot, caused by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni (Xap). Bacterial diseases are particularly difficult to control, because unlike infections in humans, which can be quickly quelled with antibiotics, in stone fruit antibacterial sprays are only effective in years with low to medium disease pressure.