Fireblight destroying more than apples and pears? What is your experience?

General Fruit Growing
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Many times, i have mentioned there are new strains of fireblight around. These strains have more hosts and are lethal in many cases. You might think it impacts only pomes like apples and pears, so you’re safe with what you grow. @marknmt brought up this question on another thread. Mark, the unfortunate answer is that we need a new thread to address the many concerns like yours.

Fireblight infects all members of the family Rosaceae. Berries are not safe.

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/fire_blight_on_raspberries_and_blackberries

Back to your question Mark what does the extension office say? Exactly what you would think.that plums dont get fireblight Fireblight- resistant varieties of fruit trees - Ask Extension

Many dont agree

https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/fire-blight-plum-tree-18041559.php

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I’ve seen it wipe out an established cotoneaster planting in less than a year.

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I would have to guess the way it moved so quickly through all my trees ; the fire blight has to be endemic in wild plants.

Every lot is at least 5 acres and there really are not alot of domestic fruit planted around here.

So there must be vectors like hawthorns. There are a lot of Roses planted around though. Seems like knockout roses are in every yard.

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They are not new to the southwest.

I’ll take the word of a fruit crop pathologist and a lab report over a columnist or master gardener.

Several, but not all. So far, reports of fireblight on plums and cherries in southern CA have been proven false by lab tests.

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@Richard

This is fascinating and one reason why California is strict on imports of plant materials from other places. They grow a great deal of food there. A strain of fb out of Missouri has been really bad here at my orchard. Pears like harrow delight, which were formerly resistant, are now being destroyed by these new strains of fireblight. Dr. Bell’s work list that pear as very resistant. As you have said before, @Richard, many times we have much more experience growing some pears than some people writing the articles out there. Dr. Bell was growing pears but dealing with a different strain of the bacteria that was less aggressive. That one pear does not negate his other work. My experience was the same as his for years.

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From the linked article:

Fire blight affects both red and black raspberries and blackberries.

I don’t believe it for a minute!

The only 2 things that will survive an all-out thermonuclear war in the PNW is the cockroach and the Himalayan blackberry. Nothing can kill that vile creation of the devil the Himalayan blackberry.

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@tbg9b
Like you, I also want to see the lab tests.

@clarkinks
My Warren pear “on fire” 5 feet away from a mature Hood pear with insignificant symptoms should give you pause.

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Hood is recommended higher on UGA’s list. Warren is on the list; but is not as resistant as it use to be. You definitely can find them with strikes.

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Meaning: it wasn’t widely tested.

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