Pink Eye Will Cause Heavy Pear Crop Loss

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30365, 14 February 1964, Page 12

Pink Eye Will Cause Heavy Pear Crop Loss

(New Zealand Press Association)

ALEXANDRA, Feb. 13. Pear crops in Central Otago, and in New Zealand, have been severely affected by the disease pink eye and heavy losses are expected; This was confirmed today by Mr S. Kemp, horticultural instructor for the Department of Agriculture at Alexandra, who said that in several cases, 50 per cent of the crop was affected, The disease was fairly general throughout New Zealand this season, he said. Sporadic attacks had occurred in the past but now the position was- serious. Little was known, ' about ■the disease, its cause and origin, but it was believed that spraying with copper sprays in the blossom and early green - fruit stages helped the spread.

In the .past, Mr Kemp said, odd orchards had suffered from the disease.

Pink eye is first noticed as a pinkish tinge about the calyx of the fruit, which gradually yellowed while the remainder of the pear hardened. The fruit does not ripen evenly, and by the time the whole pear is ripe, the area affected by the dsease is rotten and the fruit useless.