compressed.jpg) |
| Nectarine damage from thrips. Picture from another reader, not this one. |
Q. I have an Arctic Star nectarine but the fruit really
looks awful each year. How do I make the fruit look better and is this fruit
safe to eat?
looks awful each year. How do I make the fruit look better and is this fruit
safe to eat?
A. This particular nectarine is one of my favorite fruits
to grow in Las Vegas and it is also one of the more difficult to grow as well.
The difficulty is just what you are experiencing. The fruit becomes scarred
because of the Western flower thrip.
to grow in Las Vegas and it is also one of the more difficult to grow as well.
The difficulty is just what you are experiencing. The fruit becomes scarred
because of the Western flower thrip.
But let
me say something about the quality of this fruit first. When I first tasted
this fruit I was blown away. The flavor profiles are absolutely remarkable when
it is grown here in the desert. My best description would be “perfumey”. Now I
am not a “perfumey” kind of guy but it has this floral overtone that sets it
apart.
me say something about the quality of this fruit first. When I first tasted
this fruit I was blown away. The flavor profiles are absolutely remarkable when
it is grown here in the desert. My best description would be “perfumey”. Now I
am not a “perfumey” kind of guy but it has this floral overtone that sets it
apart.
compressed.jpg) |
| Arctic Star nectarine growing at the Orchard. Sprays were applied to control the scarring from thrips. |
It is a white-fleshed nectarine. Typical, like
many white fleshed peaches, I would describe the taste having some almond in
the background, very sweet and with these floral (I would call them rose)
backgrounds.
many white fleshed peaches, I would describe the taste having some almond in
the background, very sweet and with these floral (I would call them rose)
backgrounds.
Nectarine
is a hairless peach. It was discovered in a peach orchard as a “sport”
(mutation) growing on a peach tree. This branch with the hairless peach was
propagated by cuttings and then used as budwood to make more nectarines.
is a hairless peach. It was discovered in a peach orchard as a “sport”
(mutation) growing on a peach tree. This branch with the hairless peach was
propagated by cuttings and then used as budwood to make more nectarines.
The hair
on a peach that some people object to actually adds some protection from
insects for the fruit. Tiny insects, like the Western flower thrips, are so
small (long and narrow measuring about 1/32 of an inch long) that they have a
hard time battling their way down to the skin of a hairy peach.
on a peach that some people object to actually adds some protection from
insects for the fruit. Tiny insects, like the Western flower thrips, are so
small (long and narrow measuring about 1/32 of an inch long) that they have a
hard time battling their way down to the skin of a hairy peach.
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| Scarring from thrips starts at a very early time in fruit development. Spraying should begin immediately after flower petal fall. |
However,
once that hair is no longer there this insect has no problem getting to the
skin of the fruit. Once at the skin, this thrip uses its modified mouthpart to
rip and shred at the skin surface and lap up the juice from the fruit much like
a dog.
once that hair is no longer there this insect has no problem getting to the
skin of the fruit. Once at the skin, this thrip uses its modified mouthpart to
rip and shred at the skin surface and lap up the juice from the fruit much like
a dog.
This tearing
and shredding of the fruit skin leaves scarring on the fruit surface as it
grows. This scarring is what you are seeing. I have watched thrips start their
feeding inside the flowers of peach and nectarine, feeding on the ovary of the
flower. As the ovary becomes pollinated and the fruit develops, the hair on the
peach keeps the thrip at bay.
and shredding of the fruit skin leaves scarring on the fruit surface as it
grows. This scarring is what you are seeing. I have watched thrips start their
feeding inside the flowers of peach and nectarine, feeding on the ovary of the
flower. As the ovary becomes pollinated and the fruit develops, the hair on the
peach keeps the thrip at bay.
However,
the hairless peach, the nectarine, does not have this protection and the thrip
continues feeding up to harvest. This can cause tremendous scarring of the
fruit and it looks so awful no one wants to eat it. It is, however, perfectly
safe to eat.
the hairless peach, the nectarine, does not have this protection and the thrip
continues feeding up to harvest. This can cause tremendous scarring of the
fruit and it looks so awful no one wants to eat it. It is, however, perfectly
safe to eat.
Control
of the thrip on nectarine requires a spray program on nectarines but not on
peach. Sprays used in rotation include insecticidal soaps, neem oil and
spinosad. I will talk more about control and give some pictures in my blog. Start your spray schedule right after the petals fall from the flowers. Do not spray flowers in bloom…ever. Follow label directions on your sprays. Obey the re-entry period that the label states even though the sprays I mentioned are “organic”. However, the most effective spray in the group is the spinosad. Spray the fruit to protect it. Add a wetting agent to the spray to get better fruit coverage.
of the thrip on nectarine requires a spray program on nectarines but not on
peach. Sprays used in rotation include insecticidal soaps, neem oil and
spinosad. I will talk more about control and give some pictures in my blog. Start your spray schedule right after the petals fall from the flowers. Do not spray flowers in bloom…ever. Follow label directions on your sprays. Obey the re-entry period that the label states even though the sprays I mentioned are “organic”. However, the most effective spray in the group is the spinosad. Spray the fruit to protect it. Add a wetting agent to the spray to get better fruit coverage.