Research project Dismantling Pear Decline decay disease as ticking time bomb under Flemish pear cultivation

General introduction

Flemish pear production is under pressure from a threatening pear decline disease, Pear Decline (PD; pear decline phytoplasma, Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri), which produces small, tasteless fruit instead of tasty juicy pears. This project aims to provide practical solutions for pear growers and nurseries, including improved diagnostics. A key research question is what factors stimulate or inhibit disease activity. PD is caused by a cell wall-less bacterium, which is spread via the pear leaf flea (Cacopsylla sp.). The disease can remain latent, with risk of sudden large-scale breakthrough of decay symptoms, as seen previously in Italy.

Research approach

The researchers focus on the development and implementation of a control strategy for PD through innovative actions:

1. Diagnostics and detection: Remote sensing and broad-spectrum sequencing to identify infections and co-infections.

2. Factor study: Analysis of conditions that influence infection and symptom expression.

3. Substrain study: Identification of resistant or tolerant rootstock/intermediate strains for important pear varieties in Flanders.

4. Vector control: Understanding the role of pear leaf flea and adaptation of control strategies.

5. Practice validation: Development and evaluation of management measures in field trials.

Relevance/Valorization

With this LA project, we aim to provide pear growers and tree nurseries with practical solutions to get the Pear Decline problem under control. The project focuses on the 751 farms with pear cultivation in Flanders, which lose an estimated annual income of about €5.0 million due to Pear Decline. Moreover, some of these solutions will also be applicable in tree nurseries, and more nursery-specific solutions such as the right choice of rootstock. The direct link between research and practice in this research project ensures the implementation of useful results. The researchers start the track with limited knowledge (2023) around a relatively recent problem and aspire to have proven and (partly) validated control strategies in practice by about 2028.

Financing

VLAIO