Colorado Peach Farmers Face Millions in Losses Due to Viral Fungal Disease
Peach growers in western Colorado are facing significant economic threats from cytospora canker, a destructive fungal disease that has infected 100% of surveyed orchards in Orchard Mesa. A study by Colorado State University estimates annual losses of at least $3 million for the state's peach industry, which produced 15,000 tons valued at $34 million in 2024. The disease, which enters through wounds caused by pruning or severe weather, can reduce peach yield by 50% per tree and has halved the typical lifespan of orchards from 20 years to under 10. Environmental stresses, including diminishing water supplies and abrupt temperature drops, exacerbate the issue. A notable freeze event in 2020, where temperatures plummeted from 65°F to below 10°F in 48 hours, killed tens of thousands of trees by preventing proper acclimation. This combination of climate volatility and persistent pathogen presence threatens the legacy of Palisade peaches, first planted in the region in 1882. Researchers and extension personnel are currently developing mitigation tools to protect fruit tree production in Colorado and Utah against this growing agricultural crisis.
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Colorado Peach Farmers Face Millions in Losses Due to Viral Fungal Disease
Peach growers in western Colorado are facing significant economic threats from cytospora canker, a destructive fungal disease that has infected 100% of surveyed orchards in Orchard Mesa. A study by Colorado State University estimates annual losses of at least $3 million for the state's peach industry, which produced 15,000 tons valued at $34 million in 2024. The disease, which enters through wounds caused by pruning or severe weather, can reduce peach yield by 50% per tree and has halved the typical lifespan of orchards from 20 years to under 10. Environmental stresses, including diminishing water supplies and abrupt temperature drops, exacerbate the issue. A notable freeze event in 2020, where temperatures plummeted from 65°F to below 10°F in 48 hours, killed tens of thousands of trees by preventing proper acclimation. This combination of climate volatility and persistent pathogen presence threatens the legacy of Palisade peaches, first planted in the region in 1882. Researchers and extension personnel are currently developing mitigation tools to protect fruit tree production in Colorado and Utah against this growing agricultural crisis.