More of the same type of Fireblight damage on a European pear this time. The last pictures were Kieffer pears.
For anyone who might be new to the forum I will explain the differences in European pears and those pears hybridized with sand pear genetics. KIeffer is blight resistant and crossed between the Asian sand pear and Bartlett. Peter Kieffer in 1863 released the hybrid for sale. The Bartlett on the other hand is a European pear and it’s more of a dessert pear and European pears are not blight resistant. Kieffer ripens a month after Bartlett. Pear trees such as Douglas appear to be a cross between Kieffer and European pears based on foliage and blight resistance. Most of the sand pear crosses are rounder than normal European pears and more gritty and less dessert like. Here is an article that may be helpful if your looking for additional information on which pears to plant and their characteristics http://www.harvesttotable.com/2010/12/how_to_choose_a_pear_tree_for/ . Fire blight is an old problem as the experts of years past describe in articles such as this one http://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1167&context=utk_agbulletin . This article confirms my hypothesis about insects being a spreading agent http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=G6020. When it comes to selecting fire blight resistant varieties I always look at what they are doing in southern states where they have even more problems with fireblight than they do in Kansas http://dallasfruitgrower.typepad.com/dallas-fruit-vegetable/2012/01/growing-pear-trees-in-dallas-and-texas.html. When I get my scion wood to graft I try and get it from the North where conditions are unfavorable for fire blight. This is an interesting video if you have time to watch it and you want to grow pears or apples organically and control fire blight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuKxKCWKl28