Kristy Grigg-McGuffin, horticulture IPM specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), has issued a fire blight risk warning for Ontario.
The fire blight prediction maps show high to extreme infection risk for apple and pear crops in almost all counties in southwestern Ontario up to Ottawa. Fire blight is a devastating disease for apples, pears and other members of the Rosaceae family, and protective action is required to prevent severe infection and orchard damage.
Wind, pollinator activity and moisture increase the likelihood of bacterial infection by Erwinia amylovora, the cause of fire blight. Grigg-McGuffin recommends growers maintain a protective program until the risk level is below high. |READ MORE
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