Tag Archives: extreme infection risk

145–160 E. Kõiva
Possibility of appearance of fire blight Erwinia amylovora in Estonia
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Possibility of appearance of fire blight Erwinia amylovora in Estonia

E. Kõiva

Department of Plant Health, Plant Production Inspectorate, Teaduse St. 2, 75501 Saku, Harjumaa, Estonia; e-mail: Epp.Koiva@plant.agri.ee

Abstract:

Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) is one of the most harmful diseases of the Rosaceae fruit trees. At the moment fire blight is absent in Estonia. This condition is proved by three years of monitoring surveys by taking and analysing 933 samples.
The present article studies the possibility and danger of appearance of this bacterial disease in Estonia.
General influence for fire blight are climatic conditions, and key factors for appearance of the disease are temperature and humidity during the flowering season of its host plants.
Climatic conditions of 35 years (1966–2000) from two meteorological stations – inland Võru and coastal Lääne-Nigula were analysed.
It became obvious that a possibility of appearance of  fire blight in Estonia has been  present most of the years studied. If fire blight already actively existed in an area, possibility of infection would be high in both the meteorological stations.
Danger of fire blight infection has existed in Estonia most years. Therefore it is necessary to protect the territory of Estonia with special regulations. This can be made possible by establishing a fire blight pest free area, or, in case Estonia joins the European Community, a fire blight protected zone in the whole territory of Estonia.

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