Peach Tree Rubbed and now Oozing Sap

[Trout 2003]

Hi everyone,

I have a 4 yo dwarf peach that was rubbed by a buck last fall and 40% girdled on 2 of the 4 main branches. The wounds have now started to ooze and I am very concerned that the tree has developed a cytospora canker. I will post a photo tomorrow but wanted to post this in the meantime to see if I am just worrying for nothing. Seems a little high on the tree to be peach borers. Would a wounded peach sap simply because it is wounded??? Are there other less deadly bacterias that will cause this. I am hoping beyond hope that I do not lose the tree.

 

[Urban Forester]

Yes, this could be nothing more than wound response. Phloem loss this time of year around a wound would not be suprising.

 

[Trout 2003]

How's this look?? Like I said, not girdled even half way but it set the tree back pretty good.

 

[S Mc]

I agree with UF. Peach trees will respond to anything and everything with gumosis.

Cytospora I would expect to see foliar, twig dieback. And the peachtree borer you should see gumosis at the base of the tree with the presence of frass.

If you are not seeing any other symptoms than the gumosis, I would be cautiously optomistic.

The only way to prevent bucks from rubbing is to physically fence the tree. I would encourage you to do so during the target season of late summer/late fall or even early winter. They rub once the velvet has come off all the way through rut.

Sylvia

 

[Trout 2003]

None of the branch that has leafed out since Spring are dying back. They are not as vigorous as previous years but i think i would expect that after such damage. There were a bunch of branches there did leaf though following winter and I also blame that on the rubs. They have since been pruned out though.

I am fencing the **** out of all of the trees from Aug 1 -Feb. No more chances being taken.

 

[Ed Roland]

The wounds have now started to ooze and I am very concerned that the tree has developed a cytospora canker. Seems a little high on the tree to be peach borers. Would a wounded peach sap simply because it is wounded???

Trout, You are getting the gospel here from some very learned folk.
I want to add that there are several borers that attack stone fruit other than Synanthedon exitiosa (Peachtree borer). The Synanthedon pictipes (lesser peach tree borer) can be found throughout the tree and their damage will commonly be predisposed by wounds. I think the damage resembles borer activity. Have a trained professional out to diagnose the issue before you have chemicals applied.

 

[S Mc]

Good point, WW.