Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIII, Issue 1
Written by Smaranda Doina ROȘU-MAREȘ, Luminița Antonela ZAGRAI, Ioan ZAGRAI, Zsolt JAKAB-ILYEFALVI, Anca Maria CHIOREAN, Vasile FLORIAN
Considering the high level of risks that infection with the bacteria Erwinia amylovora has in apple orchards in Romania, we have undertaken a four consecutive years (2019-2022) investigation in terms of fire blight occurrence. In the experimental plots typical symptoms, such as wilted or necrotic shoots in the form of 'shepherd’s crook, were visible for two consecutive years (2021-2022), while flower clusters were not affected. The highest damage degree was observed in 2022, when was recorded the least amount of precipitation in the May-June period, but accompanied by extreme phenomena, such as strong winds. At the same time, during the study, the average daily temperatures in the case of May were the highest in 2022, respectively the second highest, in the case of June, being exceeded only by June 2019. According to our observations, the climate changes in the area, which consist of both the increase of the average annual temperature and the occurrence of some extreme phenomena with greater frequency, are favoring factors to increase the occurrence of Erwinia amylovora and amplify the fire blight symptoms in apples.
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