Why are Peaches so poisonous in Randland? Radiation? Evolved into being poisonous?

I don't think radiation fits really. Unless its natural. What need for nuclear weapons in Randland when you can just use the OP to blow things up.

And if they evolved into being so poisonous how are the seeds getting distrubuted and spread so peach tree can continue to survive? Correct me if I am wrong but isn't the pit like a peach has meant to be eaten by herbivores and later deposited on down the road with its own fertilizer pile to grow into a new tree? If it evolved to a poisonous fruit what point would that serve? It would lead it to its own extinction.

I guess maybe its something the DO's touch ruined. I don't know I think its just weird.

In real life the peach pit is slightly poisonous as it contains just a tiny amount of cyanide.

Does Rand make this comment about peaches because someone got poisoned by a nefarious and delicious peach pie?