Fire blight is a bacterial disease. Fire blight is especially destructive to apple, pear, quince and crabapple. Fire blight bacteria can be spread by Insects, rain splash or contaminated pruning tools. Controls include resistant varieties, cultural practices, pruning and preventive sprays.
Fire blight is a bacterial disease that affects certain species in the rose family.
It is especially destructive to apple, pear, quince and crabapple. The disease also can occur on hawthorn, mountain ash, serviceberry, pyracantha, cotoneaster, blackberry and raspberry. Disease Cycle Fire blight is caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora . In spring, when temperatures reach 65 degrees F and frequent rain occurs, bacteria resume activity and multiply rapidly. Masses of bacteria are forced through cracks and bark pores to the bark surface, where they form a sweet, gummy exudate called bacterial ooze.