FIRE BLIGHT OF PEAR IN YUGOSLAVIA

Fire blight of pear, caused by Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winslow, et al., is one of the oldest and the most destructive disease caused by bacteria on pome fruits.
This disease is most dangerous on pear (Pyrus sp.), making commercial pear growing under certain conditions impossible.

First record of this vicious pear disease in our country was in 1990 in several localities: Šabac and Djakovica on pear, Leskovac, Bojnik, Kosancic, Lebane and Vucje on pear and quince and Vranje and Vladicin Han on pear, quince and hawthorn.
Apple trees were infected sporadically and these infections were less significant.
Among pear cvs. present in Yugoslavia susceptible ones are William’s, St.
Maria, Passe Crassane, Abbe Fetel, Kocijeva, Kaludjerka, Packham’s Triumph and others.

In the spring, the first symptom usually occurs on flowers that become dark brown in color and remain hanging on branches.
Disease spreads very fast on leaves and branches.
Young trees in the nursery and in the orchard may be killed to ground by single infection in one season.

Since bacterial fire blight is of recent occurrence in our country, control measure mainly consists of permanent supervision, isolation of areas with disease, restricted distribution of scions and rootstocks, eradication of diseased tress (by cutting and burning) and other similar practices.

VII International Symposium on Pear Growing

M. Babovic, A. Bulajic, G. Delibašic

Erwinia amylovora, fire blight, Yugoslavia, pear, quince, apple, mespili

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.475.56