Reactions of different plant organs of pear cultivars to Erwinia amylovora infection

Abstract

Research project has been initiated in 1999 with the aim of evaluating the degree of susceptibility/resistance of pear cultivars grown in Hungary to fire blight disease caused by Erwinia amylovora. The recently selected promising cultivars were also examined. Inoculation experiments were conducted in controlled greenhouse conditions because of quarantine regulations in Hungary. Following the disease process, development of symptoms of plant organs (shoots, flower parts, fruits) was observed. Suspension of two E. amylovora strains (Ea 21, Ea 23) isolated from pear was used in a mixture (5x108 cells x m1-1) for the inoculation. Twenty-six pear cultivars were examined and grouped into four categories: low susceptibility, moderately susceptible, susceptible and very susceptible. Most of the cultivars were susceptible or very susceptible while some promising 'Eldorado', 'Harrow Delight' and `Hosui' showed low susceptibility.

Genetic Mapping Reveals Sophisticated Responses of Malus domestica to Botryosphaeria dothidea Isolates

“…In pears, the cultivar Harrow Delight is resistant to fire blight on the basis of the severity of infection of the flowers but is moderately susceptible according to the severity of the disease in its fruit; disease severity even varies significantly between the pistil and petals of pear flowers (Honty et al. ).…”

“…The apple cultivars Idared and Liberty are both proven to be relatively susceptible to Hungarian strains of apple fire blight bacteria on the basis of flower susceptibility, but the young shoots of Idared are highly susceptible and those of Liberty are moderately resistant (Toth et al 2013). In pears, the cultivar Harrow Delight is resistant to fire blight on the basis of the severity of infection of the flowers but is moderately susceptible according to the severity of the disease in its fruit; disease severity even varies significantly between the pistil and petals of pear flowers (Honty et al 2003).…”