Organic Peach Production in Florida
Aerial view of a person igniting a prescribed fire along a fire line. Closer to the camera there are flames and dark smoke, and farther away there is only white smoke, rising away from the fireline, with a few trees poking up through it..
view on EDIS
PDF-2022

Keywords

Variety
chilling hours
nutrient management
fertilizer
irrigation
cultural pest management
orchard floor
system plan
marketing
UPick

Categories

How to Cite

Campbell, David, Danielle Treadwell, Ali Sarkhosh, Oscar E. Liburd, and Jeff Brecht. 2022. “Organic Peach Production in Florida: HS1447, 10 2022”. EDIS 2022 (5). Gainesville, FL. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs1447-2022.

Abstract

Organic peach production systems in Florida are an attractive option for farmers selling direct-to-consumer, including U-Pick operations. Profitability is contingent upon appropriate cultivar selection, efficient nutrient and water management, preventative pest management, and selling fruit for a price premium during the early market window. This comprehensive 14-page fact sheet includes evidence- and producer-based best practice recommendations and is designed for small- and mid-size farm operators who are certified organic or who desire to use organic practices. Written by David Campbell, Danielle Treadwell, Ali Sarkhosh, Oscar E. Liburd, and Jeff Brecht, and published by the UF/IFAS Horticultural Sciences Department.
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs1447

https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs1447-2022
view on EDIS
PDF-2022

References

Abulridha, J.J., R.G. Kanisserty, C.E. McAvoy, Y.G. Ampatzidis. 2019. Evaluation of steam application for weed management in citrus. Applied Engineering in Agriculture 35(5):805-814.

https://doi.org/10.13031/aea.13494

Agrios, G.N. Plant Pathology. (5th Edition). 2005. Chapter 9. Control of Plant Diseases, pp. 293-353. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-047378-9.50015-4

Antonelli, M., A. Chiariotti, M.R. Tabilio, M. Ronco, and P. Di Prospero. 1998. Effects of different management techniques utilized in an organic peach orchard during the training phase. Acta. Hort. 465:587-592. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.465.73

Belding, R.D., B.A. Majek, G.R. Lokaj, J. Hammerstedt, and A.O. Ayeni. 2004. Orchard floor management influence on summer annual weeds and young peach tree performance. Weed Technol. 8(2):215-222. https://doi.org/10.1614/WT02-180

Blaauw, B., P. Brannen, B. Bellinger, D. Lockwood, and D. Ritchie. 2020. Southeastern peach, nectarine and plum pest management and culture guide. Bul. 1171. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1171.

Brovelli, E.A., J.K. Brecht, W.B. Sherman, and C.A. Sims. 1998. Potential Maturity Indices and Developmental Aspects of Melting-Flesh and Nonmelting-Flesh Peach Genotypes for the Fresh Market. J. Amer. Soc. for Hort. Sci. 123:438-44. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.123.3.438

Calo, J.R., Crandall, P.G., O'Bryan, C.A., and Ricke, S.C. 2015. Essential oils as antimicrobials in food systems: A review. Food Control. 54:111-119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2014.12.040

Campbell D., A. Sarkhosh, J. Brecht, J. Gillett-Kaufman, O. Liburd, J.C. Melgar, and D. Treadwell. 2021. Bagging organic peaches reduces physical injuries and storage decay with minimal effects on fruit quality. HortScience 56:52-58. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15391-20

Cassity‐Duffey, K., M. Cabrera, J. Gaskin, D. Franklin, D. Kissel, and U. Saha. 2020. Nitrogen mineralization from organic materials and fertilizers: Predicting N release. Soil Science Society of America Journal 84(2): 522-533. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20037

eOrganic. 2020. Approved Chemicals for Use in Organic Postharvest Systems. https://eorganic.org/node/2669.

Ferguson, J., J. Chaparro, J.G. Williamson, R. Rouse, and R. Mizell. 2007. Florida Subtropical Peaches: Production Practices. HS1109. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs348-2007

Gӧkçe, A., L.L. Stelinski, D.R. Nortman, W.W. Bryan, and M.E. Whalon. 2014. Behavioral and electroantennogram responses of plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar, to selected noxious plant extracts and insecticides. Journal of Insect Science 14(90):1-11. https://doi.org/10.1093/jis/14.1.90.

Gross, K.C., C.Y. Wang, and M.E. Saltveit (eds.). 2016. The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. Agricultural Handbook 66. https://www.ars.usda.gov.

Halberg, N., E.S. Kristensen, and I.S. Kristensen. 1995. Nitrogen turnover on organic and conventional mixed farms. J. of Agr. and Environ. Ethics 8(1):30-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02286400

Handoo, Z.A., A.P. Nyczepir, D. Esmenjaud, J.G. van der Beek, P. Castagnone-Sereno, L.K. Carta, A.M. Skantar, and J.A. Higgins. 2004. Morphological, molecular, and differential host characterization of Meloidogyne floridensis n. Sp. (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae), a root-knot nematode parasitizing peach in Florida. J. of Nematol. 36(1):20-35.

Johnson, R.S. 2008. Nutrient and water requirements of peach trees, p. 303-321. In: D.R. Layne and D. Bassi (eds.). The peach: Botany, production and uses. CAB International. Cambridge, MA. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845933869.0303

Lazicki, P., D. Geisseler, and M. Lloyd. 2020. Nitrogen mineralization from organic amendments is variable but predictable. Journal of Environmental Quality 49(2):483-495. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20030

Litvaney and Ozores-Hampton. 2002. Compost use in commercial Citrus in Florida. HortTechnology 12:332-335. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.12.3.332

Mancero-Castillo, D., A. Sarkhosh, C. Ligon, M. Olmstead, and P. Harmon. 2018. Peach Rust (Transchelia spp.). HS1263. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs1263-2018

Nazzaro, F., Fratianni, F., Coppola, R., and De Feo, V. 2017. Essential oils and antifungal activity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2017 D:10: 86. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph10040086

OFRF. 1994. Peach brown rot control. Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) Grant Report 92-26. 1-12. Available upon request from OFRF.

PennState Extension, 2022. Tree fruit production guide: Reentry and Perharvest Intervals. AGRS-045. https://extension.psu.edu/reentry-and-preharvest-intervals-antibiotics-and-fungicides

Perez, A. and K. Plattner. 2013. Fruit and tree nuts outlook: Commodity highlight. Organic fruit and berries. USDA Economic Research Service. FTS-356SA. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/fruit-tree-nuts/.

Phillips, D.A., P.J. Dittmar, P. Harmon, O.E. Liburd, D.D. Treadwell, and J.G. Williamson. 2021. Organic blueberry production in Florida. HS1400. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs1400-2021

Reeve, J.R., C.M. Culumber, B.L. Black, A. Tebeau, C.V. Ransom, D. Alston, M. Rowley, and T. Lindstrom. 2017. Establishing peach trees for organic production in Utah and the intermountain west. Sci. Hort. 214:242-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.11.040

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.11.040.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.11.040

Rosato, C., H. Atthowe, and A. Stone. 2021. Organic farm system: Woodleaf farm.

https://eorganic.org/node/14129

Rubio Ames, Z., J.K. Brecht, and M.A. Olmstead. 2020. Nitrogen fertilization rates in a subtropical peach orchard: Effects on tree vigor and fruit quality. J. Sci. Food Agric. 100:527-539.

https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.10031

SARE. 2013. Final report for FNE11-730: Evaluation of 12 yellow flesh peach cultivars for organic production in the northeast. Sustaniable Agriculture Research and Education Projects. https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/fne11-730/

Sarkhosh, A., A.I. Vargas, B. Schaffer, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani, and M. Farzaneh. 2017. Postharvest management of anthracnose affecting stored avocado (Persea americana Mill.) fruit with plant-extracted essential oils. Food Packaging and Shelf Life 12:16-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fpsl.2017.02.001

Sarkhosh, A., B. Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani, and M. Farzaneh. 2018a. In-Vitro evaluation of eight plant Essential oils for controlling Colletotrichum, Botryosphaeria, Fusarium, and Phytophthora fruit rots of avocado, mango, and papaya. Plant Protection Science 54:153-162. https://doi.org/10.17221/49/2017-PPS

Sarkhosh, A., B. Schaffer, A.I. Vargas, A.J. Palmateer, P. Lopez, A. Soleymani, and M. Farzaneh. 2018b. Chemical composition and antifungal activity (in vitro and in vivo) of five plant-extracted essential oils against anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Penz.) in papaya fruit. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture 34:18-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/01448765.2017.1358667

Showler, A.T. 2002. Effects of kaolin-based particle film application on boll weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) injury to cotton. Journal of Economic Entomology 95(4):754-762. https://doi.org/10.1603/0022-0493-95.4.754.

Tucker, J. 2019. USDA AMS policy memo to USDA-accredited certifying agents. Certification of organic crop container systems. 3 June 2020. https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/2019-Certifiers-Container-Crops.pdf

USDA ERS. 2020. Dada by Commodity - Imports and exports. 21 Jan 2021. https://data.ers.usda.gov/reports.aspx?programArea=fruit&top=5&HardCopy=True&RowsPerPage=25&groupName=Noncitrus&commodityName=Peaches&ID=17851#P68de095f55b747c4b37ef7c871c0aeed_2_292

USDA NASS. 2020. 2017 Census of Agriculture. 2019 Organic Survey. United States Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/AgCensus/2017/Online_Resources/Organics/index.php.

Copyright (c) 2022 UF/IFAS