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Funded Project |
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Funding Program:
Regional IPM Competitive Grants - Northeastern |
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Project Title:
Integrated Management of Shoot and Rootstock Phases of Fire Blight on Apple |
Project Directors (PDs):
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Lead State: NY Lead Organization: Cornell University |
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Cooperating State(s):
Pennsylvania |
| Research Funding: $99,970 |
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Start Date: May-01-1998 End Date: Apr-30-2001 |
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Pests Involved: fire blight |
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Site/Commodity: apples |
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Area of Emphasis: plant resistance, cultural controls, growth regulators |
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Summary:
Apple is the most important fruit crop in the Northeast with a farm gate value of $140 million. currently most apple growers in the Northeast are replanting orchards into expensive high density systems using scion varieties and rootstocks that are very susceptible to fire blight. In New York, losses resulting from a fire blight epidemic in newly established high density orchards were estimated at $3,571 per acre (Momol et al. 1997a).
Fire blight develops in several phases, of which blossom blight is the most studied and best understood. Satisfactory control of blossom blight largely depends on several streptomycin applications during bloom times according to the Maryblyt" forecasting program. By contrast to blossom blight, the shoot and rootstock phases of fire blight are not well understood and lack adequate control measures. This research project will use several strategies to develop integrated management of the shoot and rootstock phases of fire blight in high density apple orchards. The proposed research will be carried out by a team of plant pathologists and horticulturists, in both New York and Pennsylvania, and will include the involvement of extension personnel to insure that the results will be readily implemented in commercial fruit farms. Dr. Herb Aldwinckle's research team has extensive experience in several aspects of fire blight research, especially in the study and development of host resistance. The results of the investigation will be presented orally or by poster at grower and extension educator meetings, in bulletins and trade journal and county extension newsletter articles for growers, and in scientific format for the use of IPM educators and researchers. This work will produce economic, practical and effective management of these economically important phases of fire blight on apple that are impossible to control at present. Our proposal supports the national goal of having 75% of US agriculture under IPM by the year 2000, and will enhance the sustainability of apple production in the Northeast Region. Objectives: Objective 1. Determine the effectiveness of SAR inducers, growth regulator, and nutrients for management of shoot and rootstock phase of fire blight. Objective 2. Determine the epidemiology of the rootstock phase of fire blight. Objective 3. Identify fire blight-resistant apple scion and rootstock varieties derived from breeding and/or genetic engineering, and incorporate their use into an integrated management program for fire blight control. Outcomes and Impacts Summary from 2001 IPM Center report In recent years, many apple growers in the Northeast have been replanting orchards, creating more valuable, high-density planting systems of dwarf or semi-dwarf trees that produce high-quality, freshmarket fruit sold at a premium price. But some types of these new trees are very susceptible to fire blight, a disease that can kill up to 80 percent of trees in an infected orchard. Because the antibiotic pesticide streptomycin is the only highly effective control for fire blight infection, apple crops would be at great risk if the disease were to become resistant to this pesticide. Researchers in New York and Pennsylvania have developed an integrated management strategy for fire blight that will reduce reliance on streptomycin. Experimenting with alternatives to pesticides, they found a growth regulator that shows promise of eliminating two to three streptomycin sprays each season. They are also better able to categorize fire blight susceptibility according to rootstock and age of the tree, and have identified plant varieties that can resist the disease. Project leaders will present their results at grower and extension educator meetings and in bulletins, trade journals, county extension newsletters, and scientific journals. Publications Momol, M.T., J.L. Norelli, and H.S. Aldwinckle. 1999. Evaluation of biological control agents, systematic acquired resistance inducers, and bactericides for the control of fire blight on apple blossom. Acta Horticulturae 489:553-557. Momol, M.T., J.L. Norelli, D.I. Breth, and H.S. Aldwinckle. 1999. Internal movement of Erwinia amylovora from infection in the scion and economic loss estimated due to the rootstock phase of fire blight of apple. Acta Horticulturae 489:505-507. Momol, M.T., J.D. Ugine, J.L. Norelli, and H.S. Aldwinckle. 1999. The effect of prohexadione calcium, SAR inducers, and calcium on the control of shoot blight caused by Erwinia amylovora on apple. Acta Horticulturae 489:601-605. Norelli, J.L., M.T. Momol, H.S. Aldwinckle, and A. DeMarree. 1999. Effect of pruning and other orchard factors on the rootstock phase of fire blight. Acta Horticulturae 489:509-510. |
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