By Clint Thompson
Peach diseases have been mostly non-existent in the Southeast this year. The prolonged drought that impacted the region from last September to May is a big reason why.
Phil Brannen, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension fruit disease specialist, hopes the lack of disease impact this year will continue through the end of harvests, typically around late July. That hope comes amid a surge in rainfall in recent weeks.
“It’s the most benign year so far, as far as what we’re seeing on disease,” Brannen said. “However, as much as it’s raining right now, we’ve got a lot of rain in the forecast; we’ve had a lot of rain, and so we will potentially see some disease occur.
“But if we’re coming into this phase of the year and we don’t have disease, I’m hopeful that with the spray programs we have in place, we won’t see much disease this year. I think it’s going to be a pretty benign year.”
Prolonged Drought
According to the UGA Weather Network, Byron, Georgia, received 16.7 inches of rain from Sept. 1, 2025 to May 1, 2026. That’s compared to 34.73 inches the prior year. From March 1 to May 1, Byron, Georgia, received just 4.5 inches of rain.
Little to no rain was experienced across peach-producing areas in Georgia and Alabama. Brannen emphasizes those are ideal conditions for peaches to thrive.
“As long as you have enough water that a tree or a vine doesn’t die, dry conditions are really good for fruit as far as disease levels. The only disease that really develops when it’s dry is powdery mildew. So that’s it,” Brannen said.
“Every year is a different year. Last year by this time we were just inundated with disease. Peaches had so much bacterial spot, and then grapes were just inundated with downy mildew and black rot. And so, every year’s a different year.”