fire blight

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.

fire blight

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fire blight¹

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

Example Sentences

What mattered was that the plant was resistant to fire blight.

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

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But climate change and the resulting uptick in fire blight may put an end to the good news, warned researchers and orchard operators.

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It was the early 20th century and fire blight was ravaging America’s pear crop, leaving behind blackened leaves and slumped twigs known as “shepherd’s crooks.”

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At warmer temperatures, fire blight is much more virulent.

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