The Fluffy Bunny wrote:
>I am the pear chairman for NAFEX....I would have been embarrassment not
>to "know". : )
Whoops.. I need to start reading the "interest group" page in the
back of Pomona. Didn't realize you were the pear group chairman.
It is good you are on the list to straighten out all my wild claims
about Asian pears <grin>. Now might be a good time to insert a
plug for NAFEX. The full name is "North American Fruit Explorers"
but has members from other countires. The dues are low and the
orginization is run by volunteers.
http://www.nafex.org
>I hesitate to speak with an sense of authority on this, but my
>observation is that there are "strains" of fireblight. In other words a
>tree may prove blight resistant to the fireblight in your area and
>susceptible to the fireblight in others. I have witnessed this several
>times over the past few years. Wether there is an actual scientific
>basis for what I say I do not know but this is my suspicion.
>
>Shinko, Tsu Li, Ya Li are some Asian varieties that shows fireblight
>resistance, however no where on the same scale as a European as in
>Magness.
>
>On your observation about fireblight in the east verses west. IMHO,
>insect pressure may account for this in large part. The west coast
>currently suffers less pest pressure than the east coast. Fireblight is
>in part spread by insect damage.
>
>So do I know the answer...no, and frankly I doubt anyone does. Until
>pathology is developed it, I suspect it will remain in the area of
>speculation and personal observation.
>
> Very truly yours, Kevin(the fluffy bunny)Mathews
