Apricot

ContentContent

1. Description

2. Uses

3. Propagation

4. References

Diseases

- Fungal

- Bacterial

- Oomycete

- Viral

Pests

- Insects

See questions about Apricot

Description

Apricot, Prunus armeniaca is a deciduous tree in the family Rosaceae grown for its edible fruit. The
apricot tree is has an erect growth habit and a spreading canopy. The leaves of the tree are ovate with a
rounded base, pointed tip and serrated margin. The tree produces white to pink flowers, singly or in
pairs, and a fleshy yellow to orange fruit. The apricot fruit is a drupe with skin that can be smooth or
covered in tiny hairs depending on the variety and a single seed enclosed within a protective outer shell
(stone). Apricot trees can reach 8–12 m (26–39 ft) and can live anywhere between 20 and 40 years
depending on variety and growth conditions. Apricots may have as many as three centers of origin in
China, Central Asia and the Near East.
Apricot blossoms

Ripening fruits

Green fruit on tre

 
Apricot fruit on tree

Uses

Apricots can be consumed fresh or dried. They may also be processed into jams and jellies, syrup or
juice.

Propagation

Basic requirements Apricots have a high genetic variability and as a result, they also have a wide range
of growing conditions. The trees tend to bloom early compared with other stone fruits and are therefore
susceptible to damage from late frosts. Apricots will grow best in deep, well-draining soils and will not
tolerate water saturating. Apricots have a chilling requirement (period of cold required to break
dormancy) of between 250 and 1200 hours below 7°C (45°F) depending on the variety. In addition, most
apricot trees do not require a second variety for cross-pollination. Propagation Apricot trees are usually
propagated vegetatively to maintain the desirable genetic characteristic of the parent. Trees can be
propagated from cuttings or by budding and grafting. Cuttings are lengths of stem usually taken from the
previous years growth of an established tree. Cuttings are taken in late winter or early spring and rooted
so that they produce a whole new tree. Budding and grafting involves joining two genetically distinct
plants one is used for the lower part called the rootstock and another is used for the upper part, known
as the scion. The scion is attached by inserting a bud from the desired variety under the bark of the
rootstock so that it produces a new tree. Planting Apricot trees should be planted in full sun. In colder
regions it is beneficial to plant them close to a north facing wall which helps reduce the speed with
which the trees warm in the spring, delaying bloom. Plant bare root trees in a pre-dug hole which is
slightly wider than the root ball. Backfill the hole so that the tree is planted to its original planting depth.
It is usually possible to identify this from changes in the color of the bark. If planting multiple trees,
space them at least 7.6 m (25 ft) apart. General care and maintenance Apricots should be pruned
annually and are generally trained to an open center. Annual pruning encourages new fruit spurs. When
the tree is bearing fruit, it is important to thin the fruits to leave 3 or 4 per cluster. This allows fruits to
become larger and prevents the tree from reducing production the following year. Trees should be
watered regularly during the growing season to aid with fruit development. During dry periods, water
trees every 10 to 14 days. Apply water deeply and widely, to at least the width of the canopy. Trees will
also benefit from the application of a nitrogen fertilizer in Spring.

References

CABI Crop Protection Compendium. (2013). Prunus armeniaca datasheet. Available at:
http://www.cabi.org/cpc/datasheet/44249. [Accessed 05 November 14]. Paid subscription
required Roper, T., Mahr, D. & McManus, P. (1998). Growing Apricots, Cherries and Peaches in
Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin-Extension, Cooperative Extension. Available at:
http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/A3639.PDF. [Accessed 05 November 14]. Free to
access Lamb, R. C. & Stiles, W. C. (1983). Apricots for New York State. New York's Food and Life Sciences
Bulletin No. 100. New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. Available at:
http://ecommons.library.cornell.edu/bitstream/1813/5108/1/FLS-100.pdf. [Accessed 05 November
14]. Free to access Ogawa, J. M., Zehr, E. I., Bird, G. W., Ritchie, D. F., Uriu, K. & Uyemoto, J. K. (Eds)
(1995). Compendium of Stone Fruit Diseases. American Phytopathological Society Press. Available at:
http://www.apsnet.org/apsstore/shopapspress/Pages/41744.aspx. Available for purchase from APS
Press

Common Pests and Diseases

Diseases

Category : Fungal

Armillaria root rot Armillaria mellea

Armillaria fruiting Bodies

 
Armillaria mycelial mat

 
Mushroom and mycelial fan characteristic of armillaria root rot (Armillaria sp.)

Symptoms

If tree is infected after it has reached 5 years of age then typical symptoms include poor terminal growth
and small leaves; around midsummer the whole tree suddenly collapses; in orchards trees usually die in
a circular pattern; infected trees often have a fan-shaped white fungal mat growing between the bark
and wood of the crown.

Cause

Fungus

Comments

Fungus survives in dead roots; symptoms similar to Phytophthora root rot.

Management

Once a tree is infected there is no treatment and it should be removed, fumigants do not control fungi in
soil adequately; do not plant apricot in newly cleared forest or on the site of old orchards with a history
of Armillaria.
Brown rot blossom Monolinia spp.

Lesions on apricot fruit due to Monilinia fructicola, M. laxa & M. fructigena.Top left-control; top centre-
M. laxa; top right-M. fructigena;bottom left-M. fructigena; bottom centre-M. fructicola; bottom right-
M.laxa.

Symptoms

Death of young blossoms and associated twigs and leaves; small tan cankers with dark margins on twigs;
gummy exudate at base of flowers; brown spore masses on flowers in humid conditions.

Cause

Fungi

Comments
Fungi survive in mummified fruit and dead twigs.

Management

2-3 fungicide applications are required during bloom to control disease; application very important at
red bud stage; applications should be made every 14 days or less if there is continued heavy rainfall.

Eutypa dieback Eutypa lata

Symptoms

Cankers on branches, usually associated with a pruning wound which is several years old; discolored
sapwood may extend abovwe and below canker; leaves on branches around canker may suddenly wilt
as branch dies; leaves remain attached to branches; discoloured bark and inner wood; gummy amber
exudate may be present.

Cause

Fungus

Comments

Fungus enters fresh pruning wounds with rainfall 2-6 weeks after pruning; emergence of disease most
common in Fall or Winter.

Management

Infected limbs should be removed 1 ft below any internal symptoms before harvest; if pruning is
conducted outwith this time a fungicide should be applied to the pruning wounds.

Jacket rot Botrytis cinerea

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum
Monilinia laxa
Monilinia fructicola

Symptoms

Brown discoloration of fruit under jacket occurring while flower parts still attached to fruit

Cause

Fungi

Comments

Disease emergence favored by wet conditions during bloom and jacket stage

Management

Fungicide treatment applied at full bloom

Powdery midew Sphaerotheca pannosa

Podosphaera tridactyla
Powdery mildew symptoms on apricot fruit

Symptoms

Round powdery white patches of fungal growth on fruits and leaves; rusty patches on fruits which turn
brown and leathery and may crack

Cause

Fungi
Comments

S. pannosa infects plant in Spring. P. tridactyla infects plant in Summer and Fall

Management

Apply fungicide during bloom and fruit development

Ripe fruit rot Monilinia fructicola

Monilinia laxa

Symptoms of ripe fruit rot on apricot fruits

 
 

Symptoms

Dark brown circular spots on fruit; tan spore masses may be visible in center of spots; diseases fruit may
not drop from tree

Cause

Fungi

Comments

Fruit rot symptoms will appear within 48 hours of rain

Management

A protective fungicide treatment may be necessary if heavy rains are forecast 2-3 weeks prior to harvest

Rust Tranzschelia discolor

Rust symptoms
 

Symptoms

Pale yellow-green spots on both upper and lower leaf surfaces which are angular in shape and turn
bright yellow in color; spots on lower leaf surface develop orange-red spores.

Cause

Fungus

Comments

Fungus overwinters in twigs or in leaves which remain attached to the tree.

Management

Rust can be prevented by spraying trees with protective fungicides; application is usually carried out
one, two and three months before harvest in areas prone to early season outbreaks of the disease and
after harvest in areas where disease is less problematic or emerges later in the season.

Shot hole disease Wilsonomyces carpophilus

Shot hole disease symptoms on a peach fruit caused by Wilsonomyces carpophilus. This disease on peach
is distinguished by profuse gumming.

 
Peach fruit displaying symptoms of infection with Shot Hole Disease (Coryneum blight - Wilsonomyces
carpophilus).

Symptoms

Brown lesions with purple edge on fruit, twigs and buds; holes in leaves due to lesions which have dried
and dropped out; brown lumps developing in the center of lesion (visible with hand lens); buds turning
brown or black and exuding sap; tan lesions with brown margins which exude sap on twigs.

Cause

Fungus

Comments

Fungus survives in buds and twigs; spores spread by water splash.

Management
Application of Bordeaux mixture before rains in Fall are sufficient to protect dormant buds and twigs
over winter.

Verticillium wilt Verticillium dahliae

Symptoms

Withering of leaves on one or more spurs on 1 year old wood; leaves are dull and stunted; fruit small;
older cherry trees do not recover from disease

Cause

Fungus

Comments

Fungus survives in soil or in debris from other susceptible plants

Management

Plant apricot in soil with no history of disease; keep trees adequately fertilized and watered

Category : Bacterial

Bacterial canker Pseudomonas syringae

Symptoms

Cankers on twigs at bases of flower and leaf buds, in pruning wounds or at the base of spurs which
exude amber colored gum; cankers spread upwards and form sunken areas in winter; if pathogen enters
dormant buds they may be killed or open normally in Spring before collapsing in early Summer; infected
buds may be symptomless.

Cause

Bacterium

Comments

Disease emergence favors high moisture and low temperatures in the spring; young trees particularly
susceptible; trees grown in sandy soils that drain poorly are also susceptible.

Management

Ensure that a suitable apricot variety and rootstock is chosen based on geographic location and
environmental conditions to prevent stress to tree which predisposes tree to canker disease; apply
protective copper spray to trees before flowering; prune trees in early summer to decrease likelihood of
infection.

Crown gall Agrobacterium spp
Crown gall

 
Gall symptom

Symptoms

Galls on root and/or crown of tree which can range in size from so small they are not visible to the
naked eye up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter; galls first become visible as white, fleshy swellings that grow
rapidly and become tan to brown in color; galls typically develop at the site of a wound and new galls
form adjacent to old ones the next year.

Cause

Bacterium

Comments

Infection with crown gall begins at the site of plant wounds; disease emergence is favored by poorly-
drained, alkaline soils and previous feeding damage by nematodes.

Management
Chemical control of the disease is generally ineffective; an effective bacterial biological control is
available for commercial production; cultural control methods include: planting only certified, disease-
free material, planting apricot in well-draining soil, rotating infected fields with a non-host before
apricot is planted and also using good sanitation practices.

Category : Oomycete

Phytophthora root and crown rot Phytophthora spp.

A tree with a Phytophthora crown rot infection caused by Phytophthora spp. in the field.

 
Symptoms

Poor new growth; leaves chlorotic, small in size and sparse; fruit may be small, brightly colored and
susceptible to sunburn; shoots may suffer from dieback and tree will often die within weeks or months
of first signs of infection or decline gradually over several seasons; root crown may show signs of decay
which develops into a canker; bark of infected crown tissue turns dark brown; cankers may occur on
aerial parts of plant.

Cause

Oomycete

Comments

Severity of disease is linked to soil moisture content; water-saturated soils promote development of
fungus.

Management

Plant trees on a small mound to promote drainage; avoid over-watering trees in spring; treat soil around
newly planted trees with fungicide; minimize the frequency and duration of water saturated soil; trees
should be propagated from resistant rootstock and application of appropriate systemic fungicides may
provide some protection from the disease.

Category : Viral

Plum pox virus Plum pox virus (PPV)

Symptoms of plum pox virus on apricot fruit and leaves.

 
Leaf symptoms of plum pox potyvirus infection on apricot.

 
Symptoms of plum pox on fruits and seed on apricot, showing brownish depressions and grooves on the
surface.

 
Fruit symptoms of plum pox potyvirus infection on apricot.

 
Infected fruit

 
Symptoms of plum pox virus on apricot fruits

Symptoms

Pale green chlorotic spots, rings and lines on leaves which appear in early summer; pale rings, lines and
spots on fruit; fruit flesh dry and flavorless; fruit may be markedly deformed.
Cause

Virus

Comments

Virus is transmitted by aphids but most common method of spread is diseased plant material.

Management

Plant certified healthy material; remove infected trees from orchard; chemical sprays to control aphids
may prolong spread of virus.

Pests

Category : Insects

European earwig Forficula auricularia

European earwig adult

 
European earwig

 
Adult male and female European earwigs (Forficula auricularia) on a flower.

 
Aggregation of earwigs at tip of plant

Symptoms

Mature trees generally tolerate damage well; if damage is caused to shoot tips of young trees then
growth may be stunted; shallow, irregularly shaped areas may be present on fruit surface where insect
has fed; insects are brown and shiny with a pincer-like structure at the end of the abdomen; can reach
1.3 cm (0.5 in) in length.

Cause

Insect

Comments

Earwigs are nocturnal and generally undergo two generation per year.

Management
Remove all weeds from around tree bases; remove all pruning debris and loose bark around trees;
wrapping trunks tightly with plastic wrap before nymphs emerge can stop them climbing up the tree; if
using insecticide, apply early in Spring when earwigs begin to be active.

Fruittree leafroller Archips argyrospila

Adult fruittree leafroller (Archips argyrospila)

 
Adult insect

 
Fruittree leafroller larva

Symptoms

Leaves of plant rolled and tied together with silk webbing; feeding damage to rolled leaves; defoliation
of plant; silk webbing may also be present on fruits and fruits may have substantial scarring from
feeding damage; larvae wriggle vigorously when disturbed and may drop from plant on a silken thread.

Cause

Insect

Comments

Only one generation of insect per year.

Management
Monitor plants regularly for signs of infestation; remove weeds from plant bases as they can act as hosts
for leafrollers; avoid planting pepper in areas where sugarbeet or alfalfa are grown nearby; Bacillus
thuringiensis or Entrust SC may be applied to control insects on organically grown plants; apply sprays
carefully to ensure that treatment reaches inside rolled leaves.

Green fruitworm Various

speckled green fruitworm (Orthosia hibisci) ate instar larva

 
Green fruitworm

Symptoms

Large holes chewed in leaves and fruit; pale green caterpillars with white stripe down middle of back
present on leaves and fruit.

Cause

Insect
Comments

Insect usually overwinters as adult moth and undergoes only one generation per year.

Management

If larva become damaging to trees then sprays of Bacillus thuringiensis will control young larvae
effectively and can be applied during bloom; other organically acceptable control methods include
application of Entrust; appropriate insecticides can be used as spot treatments if infestation is localized
or applied shortly before, or during, petal fall.

Mealy plum aphid Hyalopterus pruni

Multiple Life Stages

 
mealy plum aphid massed on leaf

 
Mealy plum aphid colony

Symptoms

High levels of infestation may cause stunted vegetative growth; black soot mold developing on leaves
and branches; insect is small and soft-bodied, green in color and covered in white, mealy wax.

Cause

Insect

Comments

Infestations usually appear in small pockets in orchards; insect eggs overwinter and hatch in Spring.
Management

Organically grown trees can be sprayed with neem oil to control aphid populations; chemical control of
the aphid is rarely necessary.

Peach twig borer Anarsia lineatella

Peach twig borer (Anarsia lineatella) adult

 
Peach twig borer larvae

Symptoms

Death of shoot tips; feeding damage to fruit, usually at stem end; larvae are dark brown and white with
a black head; adult insect is a gray-brown moth.

Cause

Insect

Comments
Peach twig borers overwinter as larvae in a specialized cell known as a hibernaculum; overwintering
sites are located in rough areas of bark on 1 to 4 year old wood in crotch of limbs.

Management

Most effective method of treatment is well-timed applications of insecticide around time of bloom;
organically acceptable insecticides include Bacillus thuringiensis or Entrust; infestations can also be
treated with appropriate organophosphate or pyrethroid insecticides.