1. Taxonomical details Order= Rosales Family= Rosaceae Sub-family= Prunoideae Genus= Prunus Sub genus= Amygdalus Species= persica Basic chromosome= 8 Somatic number=16

2. Introduction: Peach along with its smooth-skin mutant, the nectarine, is a temperate juicy fruit of excellent appearance and quality. It comes to the market early in the season, particularly the low chilling peaches and growers get remunerative prices. Peaches originated in China, some traders carried over the stones of peaches from China to Kashmir. Peaches were introduced by Mr. Alexander Coutts in Himachal Pradesh in 1870. Some low chilling varieties of peach were also introduced at Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during 1968 from California.

3. AREA AND PRODUCTION The major peach producing countries are Italy, USA, Spain, China, France, Greece and Japan. In India, peach is grown on a commercial scale in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, as well as in a limited scale in north-eastern states. In Himachal Pradesh, peaches are commercially grown in Rajgarh area of District Sirmour, which is also known as peach bowl of India. Low chill varieties of peaches are commercially grown in Punjab, Haryana and Eastern U.P. In India, peach occupies an area of 35531 hectares with a total production of 237921 MT ( FAO,2010-11). In Himachal Pradesh the area under this fruit is 5195 ha and production is 5162 MT (Annon. 2010).

4. Morphological characters of plant: Peach is a small to medium sized upright spreadingdeciduous tree. The trunk bark is dark brown, rough and young shoots are smooth and pinkish in colour. The leaves are simple, oblong lanceolate, glabrous above, pubescent beneath. Vegetative and flower buds are borne in the axil of leaves. Flower are numerous, sessile, white or pink appearing before leaves. The floral configuration is : five sepals, five petals, 30 stamens and single ovary. Fruits are fuzzy with free or cling stone, however, the nectarines are fuzzless peaches. Plate 1.Peach treePlate 2.Flower and leaf bud Plate 3. Flowers

5. Climate and Soil Peaches require humid climate with cold winter and dry summer. It is moderately winter hardy and swelling buds are injured at -6.5°C. Peach needs about 500 to 800 hours of chilling. Chilling requirement is easily met in areas located between 900 to 1600 m above mean sea level. Low chilling varieties, which require 250 to 300 chilling hours The limiting factors in peach cultivation are : 1.the minimum winter temperature 2. chilling hours, spring frosts, 3.hailstorms, high humidity 4. desiccating winds during summer. Deep sandy loam soil rich in organic matter is best Highly susceptible to water logging. The pH of the soil 5.8 and 6.8.

6. StateEarlyMid seasonLate Himachal Pradesh Alton, World’s Earliest, Early White Giant, Redhaven, May Fire and Silver King (Nectarine) July Elberta, Kanto 5, Simizu Hakuto, Sunhaven, Snow Queen (Nectarine) J H Hale Uttarakhand Early Candor, Redhaven, Sunhaven July Elberta, Alexander, Crawford Early Parrot Deluxe, J H Hale, Peregrine Jammu and Kashmir Peshwari, July Elberta,,, Prabhat J H Hale, Alexander, C O Smith - PunjabShan-i-Punjab, Flordasun, Prabhat, Sun Red, Florda Red Sharbati Table 1. Promising varieties of peach recommended for different states

7. Plate 4.July Elberta Plate 5. Redhaven Plate 6.May Fire Plate 7.Snow Queen

8. SUNCREST

9. Propagation and rootstock Seedling Rootstocks: Wild peach seedlings Plum, apricot and almond seedlings can also be used. Clonal rootstocks: GF677 Siberian C ( cold hardy), St. Julien hybrid No.1 and 2 Damas GF677 Nemagaurd and Shalil ( nematode resistant). Plate 8.Wild peach Plate 9 Wild Apricot Plate10. Grafted plants

10. Planting/ Planting Density: The plantation operation is carried out in the winter season. Before planting, the site of an orchard should be leveled, bushes and weeds are cut down and proper planning of layout is adopted. In plains, square system of planting is common, while in hills layout of an orchard is done with contour and terrace system. Planting distance of 4.5 x 4.5m in hills 6.5 x 6.5m in the plains. In high density planting, 3x 3 m. and 5 x 1 m in tatura trellis (2000 trees /ha). Plate 11.High density planting

11. Fig. 1.Pruning at plantingFig. 2.Shoot development during first year Fig.3. First year dormant pruning Fig. 4.Second year dormant pruning Fig. 5.Third year dormant pruning Figures 1-5: Open centre system of Training Fig.3. First year dormant pruningFig. 4.Second year dormant pruning e 5.Third year dormant pruning

12. Plate 12.Pruning at planting Plate 13. First year training Plate14. After 1 st year pruning Plate 15. Second year training

13. Plate 5.Tatura trellis system of training

14. Pruning Bearing peach require heavy and regular pruning because it bear fruits laterally on the previous season growth. In peach pruning, thinning and heading back of shoots are two basic components. Pruning should be done so as to produce 30-70 cm of growth under subtropical conditions and 25-30 cm under For good quality fruit production, 40-50 per cent of thinning out and 75% heading back of shoots. At the time of pruning, dead,diseased and broken branches are pruned off. Plate 6. Pruning of peach tree

15. Orchard Floor management Intercropping ( peas, beans, tomato, cabbage, cauliflower and ginger) Mulching with dry grass Mulching with black alkathene Plate 18.Mulching black alkathene Plate 19 Grass mulch Plate 20 Intercropping

16. Age of tree (yr.) FYM (kg) N (g) P 2 O 5 (g) K 2 O (g) 1107035100 21514070200 320210105300 425280140400 530350175500 635420210600 7 & above40500250700 Table 3. The manure and fertilizer schedule for peach in HP.

17. Irrigation Irrigation is very essential for harvesting the peaches of better size and quality. A sufficient moisture in the soil before the emergence of leaves and flowers is required for proper fruit-set and growth. Frequent irrigations are needed during the fruit development. Lack of irrigation, particularly, during dry and hot summer result in fruit drop, reduced fruit size and quality. In the hills, at least two- three irrigations and in plains, weekly irrigation should be given during the fruit development period. In general, for quality fruit production irrigation at 80% of field capacity is recommended.

18. Crop Regulation Heavy flowering and fruiting resulting in small sized, poor quality fruits. The criteria for fruit thinning in peach are based on leaf to fruit ratio of 30-40 leaves per fruit. Application of Ethephon (300 ppm) at petal fall in July Elberta is recommended for optimum fruit thinning. In Redhaven peach, Ethephon (600ppm) 20-30 days after fruit set when the fruitlets are 20-25 cm in diameter, should be used for thinning. Hand thinning at 5-7.5 cm fruit spacing before pit hardening stage is equally effective.

19. Maturity, Harvesting. Storage and post- harvest management Various indices are: Days from full bloom, Calendar dates, fruit size, Firmness, Pit discoloration, Freeness of pit Change of ground colour. Days required from flowering to maturity vary in different cultivars varies from 78 to 127 days. Early season varieties like Flordasun takes 81 Alexander 86 days, mid seasonJuly Elberta 101 days late season cv. Elberta takes 127 days from full bloom to harvest. Hand picking is the standard method for harvesting fruits. The picking containers are lined with cushion materials to avoid cuts and bruises.

20. GradeFruit size (cm) No of layers No of fruits / layer Box inner size(cm) Special55 and above328-3243.2 x25.4 x 20.3. Graded46-55435-3843.2 x25.4 x 20.3 Grade-IIBelow 46438-4543.2 x25.4 x 20.3 Extra large 65 and above328-3047.0 x 28.0 x 26.0 Grade A60-65436-4047.0 x 28.0 x 26.0 Grade B55-60446-50 47.0 x 28.0 x 26.0 I Table 4.Grade and packing specification for peach fruits