amylovora caused disease in plants, the first time that this could be shown. In Europe it is listed as a quarantine disease, and has been spreading along Hawthorn ( Crataegus) hedges planted alongside railways, motorways and main roads.Įxperiments in the early 1800s demonstrated that E. Japanese authorities are, however, still denying its existence, and the Japanese scientist who discovered it is believed to have committed suicide after his name was leaked to affected farmers. Japan was likewise believed to be without the disease, but it was discovered in pears grown in northern Japan. It has been a major reason for a long-standing embargo on the importation of New Zealand apples to Australia.
The disease is believed to be indigenous to North America, from where it spread to most of the rest of the world.įire blight is not believed to be present in Australia though it might possibly exist there. Pears are the most susceptible, but apples, loquat, crabapples, quinces, hawthorn, cotoneaster, Pyracantha, raspberry and some other rosaceous plants are also vulnerable. It is a short rod with rounded ends and many peritrichous flagellae. The causal pathogen is Erwinia amylovora, a Gram-negative bacterium in the genus Erwinia, order Enterobacterales. Under optimal conditions, it can destroy an entire orchard in a single growing season. It is a serious concern to apple and pear producers. Fire blight, also written fireblight, is a contagious disease affecting apples, pears, and some other members of the family Rosaceae.
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