Survey of apple collar and rootstock blight in Serbia

Renata Iličić,Tatjana Popović

doi:10.5937/aaser2151063i

Abstract

Apple production in Serbia is characterized by the introduction of new technologies and the establishment of intensive plantations based on modern systems. In intensive apple production systems, sudden and rapid decay of young apple trees exhibiting collar and rootstock blight symptoms in the first few years after planting is becoming a prevalent issue. However, knip or nursery trees with lateral branches (feathers) on rootstock M.9 i.e. oneto five-year old are most seriously affected. Based on a longitudinal survey of young apple plantations in Serbia and the results of pathogen detection and identification using conventional and molecular methods, the plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora was found as the causative agent. By increasing the incidence of collar and rootstock blight in young apple trees, E. amylovora is gaining importance as the most destructive disease in apple production. In order to control E. amylovora effectively and apply appropriate control measures, it is necessary to survey the development of lesser-known symptoms caused by this pathogen, which are becoming prevalent in Serbian agroecological conditions.

Highlights

The plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight on pome fruits, is widespread in Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, North and Central America and New Zealand (Bonn and van der Zwet, 2000; Van der Zwet, 2002; CABI/EPPO, 2007; OEPP/EPPO, 2013)
Apple production in Serbia is characterized by the introduction of new technologies and the establishment of intensive plantations based on modern systems
With the aim of determining the causative agent of rapid young apple tree decay, samples exhibiting collar and rootstock blight symptoms were collected from a number of leading, attractive and club apple cultivars, knip or trees with lateral branches grafted on the rootstock M.9 (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

The plant pathogenic bacterium Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight on pome fruits, is widespread in Europe, Asia, North Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, North and Central America and New Zealand (Bonn and van der Zwet, 2000; Van der Zwet, 2002; CABI/EPPO, 2007; OEPP/EPPO, 2013). This bacterium has been described to be pathogenic for 200 plant species, mainly affecting those within the Rosaceae family, and the genera Chaenomeles, Cotoneaster, Crataegus, Cydonia, Eriobotria, Malus, Mespilus, Pyrus, Photinia, Pyracantha, Sorbus, and Stranvaesia. Considering that the presence of this pathogen in stone fruit species has recently been identified in Hungary, E. amylovora has the potential for future spread to new hosts in Serbia as well

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