Plum Pox is a viral disease of stone fruit trees such as plums, peaches, and apricots. Plum Pox Virus (PPV) has been a devastating disease in Europe since the early 1900s. It was first reported in Bulgaria and spread throughout Europe. In 1992, PPV was reported for the first time in the Americas in Chile. Shortly afterwards it was found in Adams County, Pennsylvania in 1999, in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada in 2000, and in Argentina in 2004. In the continental United States, the disease remained localized, and it was hoped that it was contained before it had a chance to spread to the other parts of the North American continent.

However, in July 2006, the virus was identified in 2 plum trees in Niagara County, New York, and a short time later, in August 2006, it was identified on peach, also from Niagara County. This site was in close proximity to a confirmed positive site in Ontario, Canada. Also in August 2006, Michigan reported a positive find. In 2008, plum pox was identified in trees in Wayne County.  This disease makes the fruit unmarketable and can rapidly spread between orchards, given the right conditions.

Members of the Lake Ontario Fruit Team are working with the federal government and local growers to follow the spread of the disease and prevent widespread contamination.

For more information, view Cornell University’s Plum Pox Information Website or USDA – APHIS website.