![]() ![]() They are very resilient single-cell organisms that have been on this planet for much longer than humanity. “Plant pathogenic bacteria are quite tricky. “It’s not easy because those materials are quite strong, and they can also damage the plant, Acimovic said. Some biological control agents are highly susceptible to fungicides.Īcimovic’s lab is developing other techniques including mapping cankers in the orchard. Also, they’re sometimes not compatible with fungicides used to control other apple diseases. They require more grower knowledge to learn how to use them. Though there is an industry push to use biocontrol agents including Blossom Protect, such agents could be effective, but remain tricky to use, Acimovic said. In pruning, growers may miss some infections in mature orchards that grow apples in modern high-density growing systems. Because of Washington’s desert region growing conditions, rare wet springs pose lesser threats to the region, he said.Īccumulated rain events during wet springs, however, can wash away copper residues which can make the sprays less effective in preventing fire blight, he said. East Coast and Midwestern states sustain the most incidences. Humidity combined with high temperatures create conditions ideal for disease transmission. Virginia Tech and Oregon State University researchers In early spring, copper can be sprayed until green tips reach a quarter-inch. Pruning remains the only cultural practice growers can use to control fire blight. Infected branches display creamy light-yellow ooze droplets. Fruit turns dark and shrivels into mummies. Symptoms can include brown or black leaves and shoots bending downward. Once symptoms appear, however, the devastation becomes a crisis, Acimovic said. Little is known about how fire blight remains during the winter, Acimovic said. The disease can jump from flowers to shoots and shoots can be infected independently. Trees are also highly susceptible to infection during growth of shoots. The window of infection is during bloom - flowers are the pathogen’s entry point. Some of the enzymes fight bacteria in clinical settings and in food processing facilities, degrading biofilm of the bacterium to control blossom and shoot blight. The grants also fund research examining sprays with plant activators that prevent shoot blight and fire blight cankers, and test new antimicrobial enzymes. USDA grants fund projects designed to develop effective dormant copper spray treatments in a mix with bark-penetrating oils for eradication of fire blight bacterium in fire blight cankers. Researching fire blight management methods, Acimovic’s lab evaluates and creates materials, including spray options, that target the bacterium. We have many different ideas we try to test.” It also keeps us awake because we try to get the funding from the agencies and commodity groups to work on fire blight. “That’s the one problem that keeps growers awake at night. “It is really a big problem, this disease,” said Srdjan Acimovic, assistant professor in Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. Fire blight can brown or blacken leaves and bend shoots downward. ![]() It affects apples and other pome fruits, including pears. Agricultural and Extension Research Center in Winchester, Virginia, are studying methods to fight the contagious fire blight bacterium Erwinia amylovora, which is often deadly to trees. The disease is also difficult to control. Fire blight can cripple apple production and kill young trees. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |