It’s Spring and the blackthorn in Wairarapa looks pretty on the roadside. But for orchardists this can be devastating as it hosts fireblight bacteria that are spread by pollinator bees to apple and pears. It was so bad in the first epidemic that Acts of Parliament were enacted to cut it down. We still get outbreaks at Beau Vista orchard especially in our young perry pear trees so need to be hyper vigilant and cut out affect wood early. #cider #perry #fireblight

Fireblight. A menace, as English orchardists have seen recently. NZ introduced the FireBlight Act 1922 to define areas of control and hawthorn eradication. Hawthorn being a host plant. This is the notice for Wairarapa where TeePee Cider is located. Photo curtesy of National Library of NZ Digital archives #fireblight #apples #pears #NewZealand #orchards #legislation www.teepeecider.co.nz

Fireblight of apples and pears was the first plant infection to be diagnosed as caused by bacteria in 1880 by Burrill, he called it Micrococcus amylovorus.
In 1920 the bacterium was reclassified as Erwinia amylovora by Winslow. Photo Roberta Pastorelli. It can be prevented by application at blossom time by streptomycin the antibiotic used in humans to treat Tb. #fireblight #apples #pears #disease #bacteria

Fire blight, a bacterial disease Erwinia amylovora, affects plants, particularly in Rosaceae family like apples and pears. It's characterized by wilting foliage that appears "burnt" and dead, and cankers on branches and trunks. It strikes quickly and can kill the whole tree. Fireblight was first officially reported to have left its homeland of North America with an outbreak in New Zealand in 1919. It now affects most apple producing countries worldwide. #apples #pears #fireblight #wairarapa