Fire Blight – Part 2
2015 Management Plan
Chris Duyvelshoff, MSc., P.Ag.
Horticulture Specialist
April 8th, 2015
2015 Management Plan
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Understand the disease/recognize symptoms
Prune to remove overwintering cankers
Apply copper near bud break
Scout for and remove bacterial ooze
Apply antibiotics in high risk periods - bloom
Apply Apogee for best shoot blight control
Scout for active infections based on Maryblyt
1. Understand Fire Blight
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/prokaryotes/Pages/FireBlight.aspx
Overwintering canker
Canker ‘ooze’
Spring 16-18oC.
Usually around
the ‘pink’ stage.
http://www.justanswer.com/general/685m0-need-advice-identify-fire-blight-apple-tree.html
Erwinia amylovora
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/prokaryotes/Pages/FireBlight.aspx
Blossom blight
http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/offices-and-locations/pest-management-centre/publications-and-newsletter/sustainable-crop-protection-factsheetseries/integrated-management-of-fire-blight-on-apple-and-pear-in-canada/?id=1185385723877
Shoot blight
Dr. Suzanne Blatt, AAFC
2. Prune to Remove Cankers
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/prune_out_fire_blight_in_the_winter
3. Bud Break Copper
http://www.justanswer.com/general/685m0-need-advice-identifyfire-blight-apple-tree.html
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/prokaryotes/Pages/FireBlight.aspx
Bud Break Copper Application(s)
• Toxic to Erwinia bacteria that ooze from
overwintering cankers
• Non-systemic material
• Apply one application at green tip OR split
between silver tip and green tip
• Goal is 2.2 kg/ha (2 lb/acre) of elemental
copper
• Use ‘fixed’ coppers
Fixed Copper Products
• Copper oxychloride - $35/acre
– Copper Spray Fungicide (50% elemental copper)
– 3.2 kg/ha label rate = 1.6 kg/ha elemental copper
– 2 applications per year
• Basic copper sulphate
– Copper 53 W (53% elemental copper)
– 1 kg/ha label rate = 0.5 kg/ha elemental copper
– 10 applications per year; min 5 days apart
Notes on Bud Break Copper
• Apply with 0.5% volume dormant oil for an
adjuvant – 5 L/1,000 L
• Use minimum 900 L/ha spray volume
– Non-systemic material
– Trying to cover canker surfaces
• Compatible with oil applications & fungicides
• Scab:1 kg/ha elemental copper = ½ rate of
EBDC – add additional fungicide
• Increased risk of fruit russet after green tip
4. Scout for Ooze
• Look for cankers that were missed in pruning
http://www.justanswer.com/general/685m0-need-advice-identify-fire-blight-apple-tree.html
5. Antibiotics in Bloom
http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/offices-andlocations/pest-management-centre/publications-andnewsletter/sustainable-crop-protection-factsheetseries/integrated-management-of-fire-blight-on-apple-andpear-in-canada/?id=1185385723877
Timing Antibiotic Applications
Maryblyt 7.1 http://www.caf.wvu.edu/kearneysville/Maryblyt/
Antibiotics During Bloom
• Streptomycin and kasugamycin will kill Erwinia
• Streptomycin penetrates tissue better than
kasugamycin resulting in higher efficacy
– Streptomycin = 90-95% control – $41/acre (1,000 L/ha)
– Kasugamycin = 80-85% control – $85/acre (1,000 L/ha)
• Kasugamycin will work where Erwinia are
resistant to streptoymcin
Antibiotics
• Streptomycin 17 (25% streptomycin sulphate)
– 100 ppm
– 600 g/1,000 L spray volume
• Surfactant – in US recommend Regulaid
– Agral 90 – 500 mL/1,000 L
• Compatible with fungicides, insecticides, Apogee –
watch Captan/Maestro with Surfactant
• Maximum 3 applications/year
Antibiotics
• Kasumin (2% kasugamycin)
– 100 ppm
– 5 L/1,000 L spray volume
– 1,000 L/ha is maximum label carrier volume
•
•
•
•
Compatible with fungicides, insecticides, Apogee
Avoid Captan/Maestro combinations
Maximum 4 applications/year
Do not use after petal fall
Dilution Rates for Antibiotics
Product
Streptomycin 17
(25.2 % streptomycin sulphate)
(17% streptomycin activity)
100 ppm - desired concentration
Add 0.6 g per L of water
Kasumin
(2 % kasugamycin)
100 ppm - desired concentration
Add 5.0 mL per L of water
L
500
750
1000
1250
1500
1750
2000
L
500
750
1000
1250
1500
1750
2000
Antibiotic Mixing Recommendations
Gal (US)
Streptomycin Required (g)
132
300
198
450
264
600
330
750
396
900
462
1050
528
1200
Gal (US)
Kasumin Required (L)
132
2.5
198
3.8
264
5.0
330
6.3
396
7.5
462
8.8
528
10.0
Where to Apply Antibiotics?
• All blocks with open bloom if possible
• “My sprayer will only cover so much”
1.
2.
3.
4.
Young blocks in bloom 1-5 years
6-15 year old blocks with fire blight last year
6-15 year old blocks near fire blight last year
Blocks older than 15 years
6. Apogee
http://utahpests.usu.edu/IPM/htm/fruits/fruit-insect-disease/fire-blight
http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/about-us/offices-and-locations/pestmanagement-centre/publications-and-newsletter/sustainable-cropprotection-factsheet-series/integrated-management-of-fire-blight-onapple-and-pear-in-canada/?id=1185385723877
Apogee for Shoot Blight Control
• Apogee (prohexadione-calcium):
– Reduces shoot growth in apple
– Causes thickening of cell walls in treated shoots
– Creates a physical barrier to infection for fire
blight
– Needs 10 days to take effect
Cortland WITHOUT Apogee
Annapolis Valley, 2014
Cortland WITH Apogee
Annapolis Valley, 2014
Mature Blocks
• Apogee (27.5% prohexadione-calcium)
– Recommended rate is 450 g per 1,000 L of water
– Some evidence from MI that 900 g per 1,000 L of water is
beneficial in severe fire blight years
– Make 1st application at 2.5-5 cm shoot growth
• Petal fall or petal fall of king bloom (can tank-mix with antibiotics)
– Second application 14 days later
– Third application may be required for vigorous trees
Mature Blocks
• Apogee (27.5% prohexadione-calcium)
– Agral 90 at 500 mL/1000 L of water
– Include ammonium sulphate (AMS) at 1:1 ratio with rate of
Apogee
– Some evidence that Apogee may decrease thinner activity
– Apogee is GA inhibitor: Possible reduction in activity of GA
products (Promalin)
– Do not mix with calcium products
Young Orchards
• Apogee will work on young trees but may give
undesirable reductions in tree growth
– Notably in season of application
• Application of Apogee at 300 g per 1,000 L
may help suppress fire blight on young
orchards with less growth reduction
• Apply at petal fall of mature blocks
“Mad tree effect” – Phil Schwallier, MSU
• Trees will NOT be permanently stunted
2009 Apogee
2 x label rate
Untreated
30% Reduction in Growth
Untreated
20% Increase in Growth!
Apogee
2 x label rate
14-May: FB
4-June
20-May
2009
2010
Duyvelshoff, 2011
Excellent Tools Are There!
X
Copper
X
Apogee
X
Antibiotics
http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/prokaryotes/Pages/FireBlight.aspx
7. Scout for Infections: What if I get
fire blight?
• Scout at least weekly starting ~ July 1st
• Prune in dry weather
• Prioritize by age group & severity
•
•
•
•
Priority #1
Youngest trees
Get strikes early
Cut 12” below
symptoms
• Priority #2
• 3-15 year old
trees with a few
strikes
• Consider
removing tree if
only one in row/
few in block
• Low Priority
• Too many strikes
• Low Priority
• Too old/too many strikes
• Remove
rootstock
suckers
• Critical on:
M.9/M.26
• Susceptible:
M.106/M.111
• Should be ok:
B.9, M.7, C.G.’s
Non-Bearing Trees With Fire Blight
• Summer applications of
Copper 53 W at 420 g/ha
can help prevent further
spread
• Weekly interval based on
new growth
What else can I do?
• Nitrogen fertilization
– Above 35-40 kg/ha actual N was ‘luxury’
consumption in established orchards (WA)
• Dormant pruning
– Heavy pruning due to fire blight last year? Really
ease up on N
• Wild vectors
– Apples, mountain ash
What Else Can I Do?
Michael Tesfaendrias, NB
Dept. of Agriculture
Recommendations:
• Green Tip:
– (Scab) 3 kg/ha EBDC (e.g. Manzate) +
– (Fire Blight + Scab) 3.2 kg/ha Copper Spray
Fungicide +
• 2.0 kg/ha Copper Spray Fungicide if 2 Applications
– Could be combined with 60 L/ha Superior 70 Oil if
applying oil for ERM at that time
– Dilute volume
Recommendations:
• Bloom (high risk):
– Streptomycin 17
– 600 g/1,000 L of water
• Petal Fall or King Bloom Petal Fall:
– Apogee
– 450 g/1,000 L of water – dilute volume
– Repeat 14 days later
• Tank-mix if Apogee timing and high model risk
coincide