STUDIES ON THE FIRE BLIGHT DISEASE OF PEARS

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora (Burr.) Winslow et al., is undoubtedly the most serious disease that affects pear plantation in Egypt. The productivity of pears in Egypt has been seriously decreased due to the severe epidemic outbreaks of this disease in Alexandria and El-Behera Governorates starting from 1982 seasons (Abo-El-Dahab et al. 1983, 1984 and 1985). Due to the ineffective¬ness of control procedures followed in Egypt and the sub¬sequent failure in controlling the disease, growers started to uproot pear orchards and replace them with other profi¬table and less problematic crops. The present work included studies on the symptomology and epidemiology of the disease to find out effective methods for controlling and forecasting fire blight in Egypt in an effort to help growers to manage the disease and to carry out protective measures. Most of the research