LEXINGTON, Ky. — Asian pears are blooming in Kentucky, and European pear and apple bloom will follow shortly. Streptomycin sprays during bloom are one of the two primary ways that growers have to reduce fire blight infections. Applying this bactericide just before fire blight infections occur minimizes the number of sprays and maximizes the effectiveness of streptomycin. The Fire Blight Disease Prediction Model will tell Kentucky apple and pear growers when they need to spray for fire blight when it is run during the bloom period.
To get started go to http://wwwagwx.ca.uky.edu/ plant_disease.html Click on the Fire Blight model for either apples or pears on the left hand side of the screen. Select your county and the current date and click the circle under Fire Blight History indicating that fire blight occurred in your neighborhood last year. Then click the Submit Choices box. On March 29 the model shows that there is little chance of infection on Asian pear trees in Fayette and Caldwell counties for the next week based on the current weather forecast, but Adair county growers had better get the streptomycin on today before the rain tomorrow.
— University of Kentucky Fruit Facts
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