Protected Cultivation of Peach as Technique for Organic Production

Due to the increasing awareness in Italy about the pesticide use on edible products, there is a progressive expansion of organic growing cultivation of fruit crops, mainly in the South of the country.Among fruit crops, early ripening peach cultivars have limited pest problems, while the risk of insect and fungal attacks increases consistently for late and very late varieties.Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wiedemann ), with  its numerous generations and fungal diseases, agent of fruit decay promoted by rain, require a high use of chemicals to protect the fruits, making very difficult to follow the organic crop production protocol. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness in controlling pests (insects and fungal diseases) through the use of  tunnel, with permanent screen wire netting  (16 mesh white polypropylene, solar transmittance 88%) and  temporary  LPDE film (low density polyethylene 0.2 mm thick)  to protect the canopy and the fruits from rain, 4-6 weeks before harvest.The trial was carried out in the years 2006-2008, in Rome (Italy), on the peach cultivars Imera, Xirbi, Entella, Tudia, Aso20, Tardiva di Calanda and the nectarine California.
The ripening period was from end of September through middle November.
The trees were planted at 1.5 m on the row and 5.0 m between the row, trained as simplified Tatura trellis.
In the covered cultivation were not evident, damages caused by Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wiedemann), Oriental fruit moth (Cydia molesta, Busck) and  Peach twig borer ( Anarsia lineatella, Zeller), while outside the tunnel  no marketable fruits were harvested.
Plastic film reduced fruit rot infections to a level of 0.5-1.0 %, regardless the external unfavorable weather conditions.
Fruit weight was always higher in the net-film covered treatment, while the skin color was lighter ; the total soluble solids content was higher under net, the titratable acidity lower.
Under the tunnel, vegetative activity was enhanced and leaves showed a delayed senescence evidenced also by very high level of photosynthesis, still measured at the end of the growing season.