Southrrn Oregon 9b. Any ideas for causes of deformed peaches and nectarines. I’m not sure if a cold snap or pests or what, could cause extensive fruit deformation, affects about ten trees, half of crop, sap is visible on some fruits. Plums seem okay. Peaches removed.
the peaches.
These look like insect damaged fruits. Does your area have insects that lay eggs inside stone fruit?
Might be thrips too, but I have little experience with thrips so I may be wrong.
Here is the list of pests of peaches and nectarines from Oregon State University (OSU) extension services.
The first picture could be stinkbug damage.
Some fruit in the second picture had classic signs of thrip damage.
Will you be able to contact OSU extension services and send them picture for identification.
If you are willing to spray chemicals, this link is the suggestions from OSU.
The sap weeping and deformed fruit on multiple trees points to stink bug or tarnished plant bug feeding during early fruit development. They pierce the fruit when it’s tiny and the cells around the wound stop developing normally, giving you the catfacing and dimpling. Plums being unaffected fits too, they tend to be less attractive to those bugs early on.
