Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 221-234 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 227 pests and diseases. Luo et al. (2022) reviewed the global distribution and management of peach diseases and reported that disease outbreaks reduce not only yield but also fruit appearance, marketability, and storage performance. In the humid environment of Zhejiang, producing high-quality peaches cannot rely only on chemical pesticides. Effective orchard management should combine disease monitoring, proper spray timing, orchard sanitation, and cultural control practices. Improving peach quality in Zhejiang increasingly depends on integrated preharvest orchard management. Minas et al. (2018) pointed out that most peach quality traits develop during fruit growth, and postharvest treatments cannot fully compensate for poor field management. Sugar accumulation, acid metabolism, flesh firmness, fruit coloration, and aroma formation are all influenced by orchard conditions and management practices. Among these factors, light exposure, water supply, nitrogen status, and crop load are the major drivers of fruit quality. The fresh fruit market generally prefers large peaches with high sugar content and bright skin color. Excessive crop load often reduces nutrient supply to individual fruits, resulting in lower sugar content and uneven coloration. Therefore, flower thinning, fruit thinning, and proper leaf-to-fruit ratio management have become key practices for improving market quality. Li et al. (2022) reported that the evaluation of modern peach production has shifted from yield alone to a more comprehensive assessment that includes fruit nutritional quality, mechanical resistance, food safety, and market acceptance. Figure 2 Levels of pesticide residues in four characteristic fruits from Zhejiang Province, China, and the associated dietary exposure risk for consumers (Adapted from Liu et al., 2023) 5.2 Shaanxi peach production region Shaanxi is one of the major peach-producing regions in northwestern China, with orchards mainly located in the Guanzhong Plain and parts of northern Weibei. Compared with humid regions such as Zhejiang, Shaanxi has longer sunshine duration, larger day-night temperature differences, and lower annual rainfall. These conditions favor sugar accumulation and fruit coloration but also increase the challenges of water shortage and low fertilizer use efficiency. Guo et al. (2018) conducted a life cycle assessment of peach production in the major peach-growing regions of China. Shaanxi and Gansu were selected as representative northwestern production areas. The study showed that chemical fertilizer input is one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impacts during peach production. Excessive nitrogen fertilizer not only increases production costs but also causes soil acidification and nutrient losses. Fertilization affects not only environmental performance but also fruit quality. Cai et al. (2023) performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of fertilization on peach yield and fruit quality in China. Appropriate fertilizer management increased fruit weight, soluble solids content, total sugar content, and the sugar-to-acid ratio. However, responses varied among production regions. Excessive nitrogen application promoted vegetative growth
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