Gyeonggi Agricultural Research & Extension Services Issues Fire Blight Alert for Pears and Apples

Fruit tree dried up and died from fire blight disease

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Technology Institute has urged compliance with disinfection to prevent the spread of 'fire blight' during the pear and apple tree pruning season in February.

Fire blight is a bacterial disease that infects Rosaceae plants such as pear and apple trees through humans, insects, wind, rain, and work tools. It is a plant quarantine pest and disease with no cure, similar to livestock infectious diseases like foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza. Prevention is crucial.

In particular, during winter, the pathogen overwinters in the form of ulcers on fruit trees, and the risk of infection through pruning tools such as pruning shears and saws is very high, requiring thorough disinfection and attention.

To prevent cross-infection of fire blight, it is effective to spray or soak pruning tools such as shears and saws in disinfectants containing 0.2% sodium hypochlorite bleach (regular bleach diluted 20 times), 70% alcohol, etc., for more than 10 seconds. Farm entry footwear (boots) and outdoor shoes should be separated to block external contaminants from entering the farm.

Jogeumsoon Do, Director of the Technology Extension Division at the Agricultural Technology Institute, said, "Winter pruning is an important task to prevent the spread of fire blight," and urged, "When removing ulcers, thorough disinfection management of workers and tools, as well as controlling the entry of outsiders, must be strictly enforced for farm management."