Cornell plant pathologists have issued a warning to New York apple and pear growers after discovering a strain of fire blight that is resistant to such traditional treatments as the antibiotic streptomycin.
For 50 years, the disease has been kept at bay using the antibiotic, but streptomycin-resistant strains of the disease were recently found in four locations in Wayne and Ontario counties.
“This is a serious situation that we need to manage effectively. The rapid identification of this outbreak positions us to implement a coordinated plan leading up to next year’s growing season,” said Herb Aldwinckle, professor of plant pathology and plant-microbe biology at Cornell’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES) in Geneva.