Cherry Leaf Spot of Peach
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Cherry leaf spot (Blumeriella jaapi, formerly Coccomyces hiemalis), sometimes called shothole disease, is a fungal disease that affects leaves of sour cherry and sometimes sweet cherry; it rarely affects peach. Small reddishpurple spots develop on leaves and enlarge to ¼ inch. Velvety spore masses may develop on undersides of leaf spots if weather is wet or humid. During summer, centers of spots drop out, causing shot-hole symptoms. Leaves eventually become bright yellow as infection progresses, while halos around spots remain green (green island effect); leaves drop prematurely. The fungus overwinters on fallen leaves. Symptoms resemble bacterial leaf spot.
Cherry leaf spot lesions.
(Photo: Erin Lizotte, Michigan State University)
Cherry leaf spot lesions.
(Photo: Andrej Kunka, National Forest Centre Slovakia, Bugwood.org)
Cherry leaf spot shot-hole symptoms.
(Photo: David Clement, University of Maryland Extension)
Management:
- Use proper sanitation (remove infected fruit, remove diseased twigs; discard debris away from orchard).
- Increase air circulation to encourage drying of plant tissues (pruning, thinning, spacing).
- Fungicides used to manage brown rot often manage cherry leaf spot.
