Why is this developing peach bleeding this gummy substance?
The clear, gummy substance on this developing peach is called gummosis. Gummosis occurs when the fruit has been damaged mechanically or by disease, cold, or insects. The most likely culprit here is stink bugs. Damage may take more than a week to appear, so it is difficult to time pesticide applications. The scarring that forms around the wound is called cat-facing. Damage is more common in the outer rows of an orchard near brush or wooded areas that stink bugs inhabit. In this case, the tree was part of a small homeowner’s orchard surrounded by woods.
This week’s question is from Daniel Lyon, Midlands Fruit and Vegetable Extension Agent.
The South Carolina Grower 