Plant Disease Library / Fire Blight of Apple Fire Blight of Apple Erwinia amylovora
high Apple bacterial
A fast-moving, warm-weather bacterial disease that blackens blossoms and shoots and can girdle limbs with cankers.
Symptoms Blossoms and shoots blacken and wilt into a characteristic "shepherd's crook", with bacterial ooze visible in humid weather and cankers forming on limbs and trunk.
Favorable conditions • Warm, wet weather during bloom• Insect and rain-splash spread of bacterial ooze• Excess nitrogen promoting susceptible succulent growthManagement 1 Prune out cankers well below visible symptoms during dry weather, sanitizing tools between cuts 2 Apply streptomycin or copper sprays timed to bloom 3 Avoid excess nitrogen fertilization 4 Plant resistant rootstock and varieties
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