Diseases

Peach leaf curl of almond

Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb

A fungal disease of almond caused by the pathogen Taphrina deformans or the species-specific Taphrina amygdali. It manifests in early spring as leaf deformation, curling, and the formation of reddish blister-like swellings.

In the reference 4 varieties crop Almond, where this is mentioned in the description.

The disease is caused by a fungus of the order Taphrinales. Although Taphrina deformans is considered the primary cause, some researchers distinguish the species Taphrina amygdali, which is specialized for almond, although its taxonomic status remains a subject of debate.

Symptoms appear immediately after bud break. Leaves become covered with blister-like swellings, turn yellow or red, and a whitish waxy coating of the fungal ascal layer forms on the underside. Later, the affected organs wither and fall off. The pathogen can also infect flowers and young shoots, causing them to curl, thicken, and form rosettes.

Information regarding specific resistance genes to this disease in almond is unavailable. Cultivar susceptibility assessment is conducted solely through empirical methods via field observations rather than by using molecular genetic markers.

General information about the subject — on the page Peach leaf curl.

Sources8

Varieties of Almond mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.