fire blight

American  

noun

Plant Pathology.

1. a disease of pears, apples, quinces, etc., characterized by blossom, twig, and fruit blight and stem cankers, caused by a bacterium, Erwinia amylovora.

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fire blight British  

noun

1. a disease of apples, pears, and similar fruit trees, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora and characterized by blackening of the blossoms and leaves, and cankers on the branches

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Etymology

Origin of fire blight

First recorded in 1740–50; from the burnt look of the foliage

Example Sentences

At the time, a fungus called fire blight was devastating U.S. pear orchards, University of Cincinnati researchers Theresa M. Culley and Nicole A. Hardiman wrote in a 2007 BioScience article about the plant’s U.S. history.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2022

Clark says that the older generation of big trees did have some advantages, such as greater resistance to diseases like fire blight.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2021

“And they are succumbing to old age because of the presence of fire blight, which weakens them.”

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2019

It might take 25 years of breeding to create fire blight resistant apple trees, he said, “but there are ways we can speed up the process, so maybe 10 or 15 years.”

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2019

As to the fire blight there has been absolutely none at this station the season just passed.

From Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 Embracing the Transactions of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society,Volume 44, from December 1, 1915, to December 1, 1916, Including the Twelve Numbers of "The Minnesota Horticulturist" for 1916 by Latham, A. W.