New Systems bring Stronger yields to Florida Peaches: Stone Fruit Field Day

Held each year at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU), the Stone Fruit Field Day brings together growers, breeders, and stone fruit enthusiasts to exchange the latest research and practical innovations shaping Florida’s peach industry. Led by Associate Professors Dr. Ali Sarkhosh and Dr. José Chaparro, the event serves as a vital link between scientific discovery and real-world application. The team reflected on what made the tour especially impactful and how their research continues to adapt and grow.

Jonathan Lainez Orellana (left), graduate student, and Jonathan Clavijo Herrera (right), postdoctoral associate in Dr. Sarkhosh’s lab, hold freshly picked peaches during the orchard tour at UF/IFAS Stone Fruit Field Day.

New Systems for a Changing Industry

Dr. Sarkhosh joined UF nearly eight years ago at a time when Florida’s citrus industry was facing unprecedented challenges due to citrus greening. His program quickly pivoted toward diversifying the state’s fruit portfolio through collaboration with long-time stone fruit breeder, Dr. José Chaparro. For citrus producers looking to diversify, peaches can serve as an important transition crop. Although they require more precise management than juice-oriented crops, the potential returns, especially in terms of fruit quality, make them worth the effort. And for growers facing ongoing disease challenges, stone fruit offers a viable path toward profitability.

One of the standout topics this year was high-density planting systems for peaches. These orchard designs are built for efficiency, reducing labor needs by making mechanization and precision management easier to implement. In a high-density system, trees are planted much closer together than in traditional orchards, often in narrow rows with spacing as tight as 4 to 6 feet between trees. The goal is not just higher yields, but smarter orchards.

“This high-density trial represents one of the few studies of its kind conducted in the southeastern United States,” said Jonathan Clavijo Herrera, Post-Doctoral Associate in the Horticultural Sciences Department. “High-density systems are designed to reduce labor requirements and simplify orchard management by enabling the use of machinery for key practices such as pruning. Additionally, this production system enhances light interception by the canopy and improves the efficiency and coverage of pesticide applications.”

Clavijo Herrera, who helps oversee orchard trials at the PSREU, also emphasized how these systems open the door to better precision across the board—from thinning and pruning to pest management. “The tighter spacing allows us to fine-tune inputs and better evaluate cultivar performance under realistic production pressures,” he noted.

Thinning is beneficial because it allows the tree to focus its energy on fewer fruits, resulting in larger, more uniform peaches that are better suited to meet market standards and consumer expectations. The result? Less manual labor, improved fruit quality, and better alignment with the tight harvest window that gives Florida peaches a market advantage.

Bright, ripe peaches attached to a peach tree. — To meet commercial market demands, thinning is critical: retailers typically require fruit that is at least 2¼ inches in diameter. If too many fruits are left on the tree, they compete for resources like water and nutrients, resulting in smaller, lower-quality fruit. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

In addition to commercial growers, the UF stone fruit program also works to serve backyard growers and small farms. Some of the newer varieties under development are geared specifically toward homeowner-scale production, with improved flavor, disease resistance, and chill-hour compatibility. These efforts broaden access to high-quality fruit and support local food systems beyond large-scale agriculture.

‘Suncoast’ peach with rich red blush and ornate leaves is ideal for backyard growers - peach is focused in the center with red and orange leaves blurred in the background — ‘Suncoast’ peach with rich red blush and ornate leaves is ideal for backyard growers. Tart, semi-clingstone fruit ripens in late April and resists bacterial spot.

Climate-Smart Breeding

Florida’s subtropical climate presents both opportunities and challenges for stone fruit production. The University of Florida has supported a robust breeding program for more than 60 years, developing peach, nectarine, and plum cultivars specifically adapted to the state’s unique conditions, but success isn’t just about climate…it’s also about timing.

“Chill hours” are the number of hours stone fruit trees must spend at cool temperatures (usually between 32°F and 45°F) in order to properly bloom and fruit. Dr. Chaparro and Dr. Sarkhosh have been developing and evaluating low-chill varieties specifically for Florida’s warmer winters. These efforts ensure that cultivars can reliably produce fruit even in subtropical zones.

To be competitive, Florida growers must harvest their fruit ideally between mid-March to mid-May. This window helps to avoid overlap with the larger commercial markets in Georgia, South Carolina, and California. Hitting that early-season market gives our farmers more of an advantage. UF research also extends beyond the fruit itself. Considerable attention is given to rootstock development that addresses two of Florida’s most persistent issues: variable chill hours and soilborne pests like root-knot nematodes. Selecting the right rootstock is essential to ensure long-term orchard health and productivity. By aligning plant genetics with Florida’s climate and refining orchard management practices, such as site selection, pruning, fertilization, and fruit thinning, UF researchers are helping growers navigate environmental challenges and capitalize on early-season market windows.

Dr. Sarkhosh explained that while these crops won’t replace citrus acreage, “they offer profitable, fresh-market alternatives. Fruit quality is key. Peaches require more precise management than juice crops, but the reward can be significant.”

Participants standing around Dr. Sarkhosh at the Stone Fruit Field Day in a peach orchard wearing outdoor gear and sun hats. — Dr. Ali Sarkhosh (center) is a fruit crop applied physiologist and extension specialist with more than 15 years of experience with fruit production.

Bringing Research to Life

Field Day participants contribute directly to ongoing research by taste-testing a range of peach cultivars grown on-site. Their feedback on flavor, texture, and overall appeal provides valuable consumer insight that helps guide breeding and selection decisions. Attendees also get the chance to head into the orchard and pick peaches themselves—a hands-on experience that connects visitors to the crops, the science, and the people behind the work.

The tour isn’t just for observation—it’s participatory.

“Field Day gives us a chance to show growers how research translates to real decisions—like which cultivars to plant or how to structure their orchards,” Clavijo Herrera added. “Growers can see the difference in canopy structure, fruit load, and quality right in the field.”

Dr. Sarkhosh and his team remain engaged with growers throughout the year through trials, site visits, and outreach. Their dedicated Stone Fruit Extension website features best practices, pest and disease resources, and more. Growers are encouraged to reach out anytime for support or collaboration.