Black Spots on Pear Tree

Last post 21-06-2012 9:39 AM by NRB. 3 replies.

• 20/06/2012 04:32 PM
  Barbara Location: Leeds Joined on: 20 Jun 2012 Posts: 1	Reply | Contact Hi,  I have a 2 year old pear tree that has lightly flowered this season. I have since noticed that a number of the leaves have withered and have developed some light and dark brown spots. Could anybody please advise on the cause and possible cure for this? Many thanks Barbara

• 20/06/2012 06:19 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 9,505	Reply | Contact  Do you have a picture that might help someone diagnose the problem please? sue1002

• 20/06/2012 10:41 PM

  In reply to

  Location: Joined on: 07 Nov 2006 Posts: 2,412

  Reply | Contact Hi .  Black spot.  Quite a wide variety of plants can become affected with black spot.  Individual species etc may hav etheir own particular kind of black spot.  Basically.  A carried over infection.  Get rid of all affected leaves by burning, don't compost them.  The compost heap can often become the breeding ground for so many problems.  Thoroughly clear up fallen leaves, especially in autumn, burn the leaves.  In the case of trees in particular.  Treat not only the affected tree but also the surrounding soil.  Use prescribed spays and systemic fungicides etc.

• 21/06/2012 09:39 AM

  In reply to

  NRB Location: Cambridgeshire Joined on: 23 Jul 2010 Posts: 86

  Reply | Contact It's probably scab - a fungal infection caused by prolonged wet spells. A picture would be helpful. I prefer to grow varieties with natural resistance. Firstly because with the right choice of variety, there is no need for harmful chemicals which may remain in the fruit or contaminate the nearby area (including children). Secondly sprays aren't cheap. Thirdly, once spraying is begun, it requires multiple sprays each season because it seems to upset the balance of "friendly" micro-organisms on the tree which would normally help to outcompete disease-causing organisms. Fourthly, a tree which is protected from disease by sprays often seems to shut down its natural defences, and if spraying is stopped, it results in massive attacks of disease for some years after spraying is stopped - until the tree has reactivated its defences and its "friendly" mirco-organisms have returned (or until disease has overwhelmed and killed the tree). You only have to look at freshly-planted fruit trees which have just come from a nursery to see that their first year or two they have considerable disease problems (due to the above-mentioned effects of sprays at the nursery and often having brought dormant spores of a disease with them from rain splash contaminated nursery soil; oh yes many nurseries are a lot "dirtier" than they'd like you to believe).