Shattered Pit

Shattered pit differs from split pit in that it is an internal problem federal inspectors have only recently begun to examine. Fruit with pits broken into more than three pieces plus gum deposits near the flesh are considered out of grade. While the split pits develop at the stem end and are visible, the opposite is true of shattered pits. Fruit with visible split pits at the stem end may also have fractured pit halves and considerable gumming in the pit cavity. In shattered-pit peaches, the damage is centered at the blossom end of the fruit, and growers cannot see and thus remove all peaches with fractured pits during the grading process.

The exact causes of pit breakage are not known. Some researchers suspect that low temperatures and/or freezing damage during flowering and early fruit development are factors. Studies conducted in the south showed that shattered-pit is much less severe in fruits possessing viable seeds. However, it is not known if the pit shatters because of seed death or if breakage of the pit actually causes seed death. The studies suggested that the problem is much worse in early peach varieties. Generally, cultural practices that enhance fruit size--such as thinning, applying nitrogen, or irrigating--usually increase the incidence of split and shattered pits in susceptible cultivars. When freezes excessively reduce fruit yields, pit breakage problems usually increase.

Growers are limited in what they can do culturally to minimize pit breakage. The first line of defense is to select and/or eliminate cultivars with a consistent history of these problems. Avoiding low or frosty sites can help reduce the possibility of light crops caused by cold damage. Finally, on early maturing cultivars it may be necessary to leave heavier crop loads, although in doing so you must settle for smaller size.