1Northern Research and Development, MIGAL Institute, Qiryat Shemona, Israel
2Extension Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Bayit Dagan, Israel
3Tel-Hai Academic College, Upper Galilee, Qiryat Shemona, Israel
*Corresponding author e-mail: Rakefet Sharon (rakefetsh@gmail.com; rakefets@migal.org.il)
Online published on 5 March, 2025.
‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pyri’, associated with pear decline, was identified in northern Israel pear, nectarine, and almond crops. The psyllid Cacopsylla bidens was found to vector this pathogen in pears and found year-round in pear orchards. It was found seasonally in pears’ surrounding crops. Molecular testing revealed 22–36% of psyllids found in pears, nectarine, almond, and cherry plots carried the pathogen. Findings highlight the vector’s seasonal movement between crops, emphasizing the need for integrated management to control the pear decline in mixed-crop systems.
Psyllid, Vector, Epidemiology, Management
