ISHS Acta Horticulturae 273: V International Workshop on Fireblight
FIRE BLIGHT OF POMACEOUS TREES IN GREECE-EVOLUTION OF THE DISEASE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PATHOGEN ERWINIA ANYLOVORA |
| Author: | Peter G. Psallidas |
| Abstract:
Fire blight disease of pomaceous trees was first recorded in Greece in a single pear orchard of Passa-crassana variety in the area of Tripolis, Arcadia district in autumn 1984. This area is a plateu of 750 m altitude in central Peloponnesus. The evolution of the disease in that particular area has been very slow and, except for the year 1987, it has not caused serious problem in pear and apple orchards. The spread and evolution of the disease in different parts of Greece is presented chronologically, and the hosts and varieties affected by it in different areas of the country are mentioned. The morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of representative pathogenic isolates from different hosts and localities are presented. From the comparison of the characteristics with those of type strains, and the serological reaction with antisera prepared against reference isolates, it can be concluded that the causal bacterium of fire blight in Greece is identical with the type strain of Erwinia amylovora. The unique way fire blight has spread in Greece is discussed. | |
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