Pear Sprays?

General Fruit Growing
#1

I was hit hard by blossom blast and possibly Pear Scab this year. I hope to have a better spraying program in place to get it under control next year. I noticed that very few sprays are rated for pears. Why is this?

Let me know if this sounds like a good program:

2-3 Dormant Copper sprays

Green Tip to blossom: Fertilome and Myclobutanil

Cover sprays with Captan or Myclobutanil

I am also wondering if I can use Chlorothalonil as a dormant or pre blossom spray?

Thanks for any suggestions.

#2

Sounds like a lot of sprays but I’m not sure your compounds are right. Pear scab isn’t controlled by myclo and Cornell doesn’t even recommend its use (or Captan) in a pear program. Dithane, Manzate or Rubigan might be affordable for the purpose- first app at bloom.

I’ve only had blossom blight on Asian pears and Cornell doesn’t even list it as a common pear problem. With A. pears it might not be really treatable, I’m guessing, because a commercial grower I know sometimes suffers from it and his trees are always well covered.

Please state location. In my neck of the woods, pear psyla is the most important pest…

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#3

Our pears did nothing this year. I’m ready to take them out (20 trees) and replace them with apples. Apples, while a bit more labor intensive, are also more predictable, productive, and easier to prune. And I’m not sure we can sell pears around here at the rate that we can sell popular apple varieties.

#4

Thanks Alan,

I will take a look at the products you suggesteted. I am in Kansas. I am seeing it mostly on Asians but its also affecting European pears.

#5

Research blossom blast and correlation with Boron deficiency. I am almost positive that I read something recently relating blossom blast to a Boron deficiency in pear trees. Not sure where I read it but I will see if I stumble across it again with a little looking.

Just did a quick search and found 3 university publications that refer to that as a cause. WA, MI and WV. A micronutrient spray just prior to bloom looks like the common recommendation. Too much Boron is toxic to plants.

#6

I understand there may be a correlation between blossom blast and boron levels. It’s not clear to me if Boron deficiency causes bacterial infection or just presents similar symptoms. I suppose I need to have some soil test done and go from there.

#7

I had blossom blight on my Asian pears one season and never even considered treating it subsequently because it seemed to be just the result of unfortunate weather. I can’t remember for sure, but maybe exceptionally cool and wet when they were in bloom. At any rate it was never a problem again.

#8

Yes, I always find myself reacting to last years conditions only to find the game has changed. There seems to be constant pressure from Pseudomonas syringae bacteria on my cherries and plums. I was hoping to find some products that were labeled for stone fruit as well as pear for a bloom spray.