Pear Decline in Connecticut and Response of Diseased Trees to Oxytetracycline Infusion

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Pear decline in Connecticut orchards is evidenced by symptomatology, graft transmission of symptoms to indicator hosts, mycoplasmalike organisms in sieve tubes of leaf tissue from diseased trees, and symptom remission after infusion of diseased trees with oxytetracycline (OTC) for 2 consecutive years. Of 5318 trees observed in 18 orchards throughout Connecticut, 33% had symptoms of pear decline. Connecticut and California [USA] sources of pear decline could not be differentiated by symptoms on indicator pear cultivars. After 1 and 2 yr of treatment, trees infused with OTC showed significant remission of foliar symptoms. After 2 yr of treatment, tree yield (kg/cm2 trunk area at 30 cm above the soil) and weight of individual fruit were significantly increased. Tree vigor, evidenced by increased trunk circumference and shoot growth, also improved significantly.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: