Evaluation of biopesticides for the control of Erwinia amylovora in apple and pear

Abstract With increasing organic acreage and scrutiny of antibiotics use, alternatives to for the control Erwinia amylovora are interest stakeholders. At same time failures minimally tested, newly marketed products have resulted in severe infections leading costly tree orchard removal. We evaluated antibiotic 8 Washington, 3 Oregon, New York 2 Pennsylvania field experiments conducted 2013 2022. Antibiotic included essential oils (thyme cinnamon extracts), mineral compounds (potassium aluminum sulfate), oxidizers (peracetic acid-peroxide), soluble coppers (copper octanoate, copper hydroxide, sulfate pentahydrate), biological controls ( Aureobasidium pullulans , Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage). Studies were ‘Bartlett’ ‘dAnjou’ pear, ‘Gala’, ‘Cameo,‘ ‘Red Delicious’ apple with 4 6 single-tree replicates arranged a randomized complete block inoculated E. at 80–100% bloom. In summary analysis Washington trials Alum Blossom Protect A. ) several (Previsto, Mastercop, Instill) provided good disease suppression 70–73% similar checks. Several oil, copper, peracetic acid-peroxide (Serenade Opti, Cueva, Oxidate 5.0, Jet Ag, Thyme Guard Thymox) intermediate between 45 62% significantly better than water-treated control. multistate 2–3 applications most (means 2019: WA 79%, NY 77%, PA 57%; 2020: OR 86%, 65%, 28%; 2021: 87%, 50%). Essential 3–4 2021 81% 23% thyme 70–85% 2020, 60% oil.