Can I use Bloomtime or Blight Ban instead of streptomycin?
No. These products only suppress fire blight; suppression indicates around 60% control without additional measures. These products should be used in a management strategy that includes monitoring, predictive models, cultural controls, and the use of streptomycin. Q: Are these products registered for apples or pears? A: Both products are registered for pears and apples. Q: What are the advantages of using P. agglomerans? A: Suppressing the fire blight bacteria can have major benefits to lowering the incidence of the disease. Lower numbers of colonizing fire blight bacteria also mean that streptomycin applications can be more effective and there may be years when less streptomycin can be applied. Fewer applications of streptomycin is one method to help reduce the risk of development of streptomycin-resistant fire blight bacteria. Q: When should P. agglomerans be applied? A: The labels of both products say that the first application should be made around 15 20% bloom with a second applica
