The bacteria may also invade fruit, which becomes water-soaked. Droplets of bacterial ooze appear on the surface. Disease cycle Bacteria overwinter in the margins of cankers on branches and trunks. Once the temperature reaches about 65 F, bacteria begin to multiply and appear on the outsides of the cankers in drops of clear to amber-colored ooze. The bacteria are spread to blossoms primarily by rain with some transmission by flies and ants.
Insects also transmit bacteria to growing shoots.
If the temperature is 65 F or above and relative humidity is 60 percent or more, or there is rain, new infections can occur. At 75 F, blossom blight and shoot blight will be evident in 4 to 5 days. Bacterial ooze appears on the new infections soon after the symptoms, providing additional sources of bacteria for new infections. In early to midsummer, during prolonged periods of muggy weather, blighted shoots and spurs, infected fruit, and new branch cankers all may have droplets of ooze on them. The bacteria usually enter the flowers through natural openings such as stomates.