WILD PEAR - PYRUS PYRASTER AS A NEW HOST OF ERWINIA AMYLOVORA IN MACEDONIA

Abstract

Fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora, for the last 20 years has been the most destructive disease of pear, apple, quince and several other members of the family Rosaceae in the Republic of Macedonia. E. amylovora is a quarantine pathogen that has already caused considerable damage to orchards, and shows the tendency to further spreading. Bacteria with colony morphology similar of those of E. amylovora were repeatedly recovered from twild pear (Pyrus pyraster) on a semi-selective medium and identified as E. amylovora based on morphological, pathological, biochemical, nutritional, physiological methods, BIOLOG and PCR. The detection of E. amylovora on wild pear (Pyrus pyraster) in our country casts doubt on the reported suitability of this species as a source of resistance for pear breeding.