Assessment of leaf curl (Taphrina deformans) susceptibility of Peach

and Nectarine accessions in the National Germplasm Repository of

CREA-OFA in Rome (Italy).
DANIELE LOLLETTI1, PETRA ENGEL2*, ALESSANDRO POLITO3, ROSSELLA MANGANIELLO4, FLAVIO ROBERTO DE SALVADOR5
1Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Centre for Olive, Fruit and Citrus Crop (CREA-OFA), Rome, Italy;
2 Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Office for international and institutional cooperation, Rome, Italy; *petra.engel@crea.gov.it
3Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Centre for Plant Protection and Certification, Rome, Italy;
4Council for Agricultural Research and Economics – Research Centre for Engineering and Agro-Food Processing, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy;
5 Senior Consultant Fruit Crop Expert – Marino (Rome), Italy

1. INTRODUCTION
Peach (Prunus persica Batsch) and nectarine (Prunus persica var. laevis Gray) trees are affected by several pathogens, including the fungus Taphrina
deformans Berk. which causes leaf curl (Figure 1), a serious disease also in Italy [1]. Affected peach trees are poorly nourished, develop fewer flowering buds
and are more easily damaged by winter frost, and bear fewer and smaller fruits. Pathogen control is becoming increasingly expensive in orchards, both
because of chemical treatments and labor time for spraying. In addition, fruit growers have to deal with environmental pollution and fruit contamination
caused by treatments, which is the reason why the European Union and national legislations are imposing progressive restrictions for integrated fruit
production, particularly on the use of copper and dithiocarbamate. Varieties show high variability of susceptibility to this fungus in different environments
[2] and only a few cultivars have been identified as immune so far [3]. The aim of this study was to identify peach and nectarine genetic material that can be
used both in organic orchards and in breeding programs aimed at developing new commercial cultivars resistant to Taphrina deformans.

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

Leaf curl susceptibility screening was carried out on 660 peach, 276 nectarine and 56 clingstone cultivars held in the National Repository of Fruit Germplasm
at the CREA-OFA in Rome during the years 2018-2020, from the last week of April to the first week of May. The plants did not receive specific fungicide
treatments against leaf curl between winter 2017 and spring 2020, to test for possible resistance or tolerance of the different accessions to the disease. To
quantify the leaf area affected by the disease on the trees, a numerical scale modified from Roselli et al. [4] was used, which groups the presence of disease
symptoms into 5 attack classes (Table 1). Starting from the relative frequencies of the mentioned classes, the infection percentage index (IPI%) was
calculated according to the McKinney formula. The collected data were elaborated with the GraphPad Prism software (version 9.5.0) using one-way ANOVA
and the differences between samples were assessed by Tukey's post hoc test. In addition, daily data of mean temperature, relative humidity and
precipitation were recorded in the first four months of each year.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In all three years, average daily temperatures in February and March, the months of maximum plant susceptibility, proved favorable for Taphrina deformans
occurrence. Precipitation and relative humidity (12-48 hours), essential for the triggering, incubation and development of the fungus, were particularly
favorable for infection in 2018. In 2019 and 2020 rainfall in the critical months was less frequent and less intense, but relative humidity was very high, thus
still capable of determining disease onset.
Among the 992 accessions investigated in the test years, 619 showed very high grades of symptoms (attack class 3.5-4) and 225 resulted susceptible (attack
class 2.5-3.25), confirming that the fungus is extremely virulent and there is a general high vulnerability of Prunus persica genotypes towards the disease.
Despite the microclimatic differences of the three years, no significant changes were observed in the resistance class of the most resistant cultivars.
Due to the large number of cultivars/accessions examined, only the 27 accessions that never exceeded scale 1 in all three years of observation are
considered here. As shown in Table 2, only “Persi del Vin”, an old native Italian peach cultivar destined for fresh consumption, remained completely free
from attack, and four rootstocks were also found to be immune. The remaining 22 accessions represent Italian and foreign cultivars that proved highly
resistant to the disease. Contrarily to available literature [4,5], 'Glohaven' (peach) was found to be very resistant and 'Redhaven' (peach) moderately
resistant. Similarly, cultivars 'Morellone' (peach), 'Walgant' (clingstone), 'Albastros' (peach), 'Amber gold' (peach), 'Gold mine' (nectarine), and 'Cotogna
Ceccarelli' (clingstone) were grouped together with 100 others in class 1,5-2,25, indicating good resistance of these varieties to leaf curl. In contrast, the
peach cultivar 'Amsden' (peach) which generally has good resistance was found to be susceptible.
Table 2. Peach varieties grouped in attack classes
0 or 1, according to McKinney Index (IPI%)
Cultivar Type of material IPI (%) Attack class
Figure 1. Peach tree leaf curl caused by Table 1. Description of Taphrina deformans Persi del Vin peach 0a 0
Prunus davidiana 6 rootstock 0a 0
the fungus Taphrina deformans. attack classes Prunus davidiana 8 rootstock 0a 0
Garmen rootstock 0a 0
Titan rootstock 0a 0
Attack class Disease symptoms Peach tree disease O.P.G. rootstock 6.25 ab 1
Siberian C rootstock 12.5 abc 1
(modified) (% of leaf surface infected) susceptibility Forlì 1 peach 12.5 abc 1
Pesca Settembrina polpa rossa peach 12.5 abc 1
AP 5 peach 18.75 bc 1
Cullinan peach 25 c 1
0 absence of symtoms immune
Red Jewel nectarine 25 c 1
Cesarini peach 25 c 1
0.5 - 1.25 up to 25% very resistant Xirbi peach 25 c 1
Grosse Mignonne peach 25 c 1
Charles Roux peach 25 c 1
1.5 - 2.25 from 26% to 50% medium resistant Madame Gouilloux peach 25 c 1
Cotogna di Rosano clingstone p. 25 c 1
Crasiommolo Spicca nectarine 25 c 1
2.5 - 3.25 from 51% to 75% susceptible Crasiommolo Rosso nectarine 25 c 1
AP 31 (6339 - 2N) peach 25 c 1
AB/4 rootstock 25 c 1
3.5 – 4 from 76% to 100% very susceptible
Bianca Tardiva peach 25 c 1
S. Michele Giallo peach 25 c 1
Frau Maria Rudolf peach 25 c 1
Rosa Dardi peach 25 c 1
Sbergia Bianca di San Filippo nectarine 25 c 1
Duncan’s multiple range test; p = 0.05. Different letters indicate significant differences

4. CONCLUSION
This work underlines that, under the climatic conditions of Central Italy, peach leaf
curl is an important pathogen, as it is capable to affect most currently cultivated
peach and nectarine varieties. The results confirm in part those previously
obtained by other authors and add information on the susceptibility to leaf curl of
other cultivars for which such information was previously absent. The observed
data, in addition to having identified very interesting material as immune to peach
leaf curl, can be used to identify varieties with very high or medium resistance to
the disease for use in organic cultivation or in future breeding programs.
5. REFERENCES
1. Rossi, V., Bolognesi, M., Giosuè, S., Mazzini, F., Ponti, I. and Spada, G. (2005). Biologia ed epidemiologia dell’agente della
bolla del pesco. Inf. Agrario 10:59-67
2. Lămureanu, G. (2013). The resistance to the attack of the main pathogen agents of several clingstone cultivars from the
experimental crop of the Research Station for Fruit-Growing Constanta. Journal of Horticulture, Forestry and
Biotechnology, 17(3), 65- 72
3. Nencetti, V., Morelli, D. and Bellini, E. (2015). ”Rebolla 1” peach cultivar: late ripening and leaf curl (Taphrina deformans -
Berkeley) resistant. Acta Hortic. 1084:139-141
4. Roselli, G., Cantini C. and Mariotti P. (1997). Susceptibility to peach leaf curl (Taphrina deformans Berk. Tul.) in a peach
germplasm collection. Journal of Horticultural Science. 72 (6), 863-872.
5. Kaymak, S., Boyraz, N. and Bastas, K.K. (2008). Susceptibility of Some Peach and Nectarine Varieties to Leaf Curl Disease
(Taphrina deformans (Berk.) Tul.) in Field Conditions. J. Turk. Phytopath. 37 No. 1-3, 27-37.

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