If fireblight is prevalent where you are, some varieties of Asian pears are susceptable. You are right on the cusp of where FB becomes a big problem, even in small home orchards. I'm not sure which side of that line you're on.

Generally, cutting out whole branches doesn't excessively stimulate rank growth that encourages fireblight but there is inherent risk with any pruning, risk you should take imo. You have to do some pruning.

I've always wondered why mid-summer pruning during dry spells is not suggested as a way with dealing with this issue. Maybe someone else who actually has to struggle with this pathogen can clarify that question for both of us. It is usually a minor problem in my neck of the woods so I'll leave a more complete answer to others on this forum. I've never seen a single strike on Asian pears here and I manage quite a few at different sites. Here FB is worse on Bosc in my experience.

Sakura, I have no experience on Asian pears and little enough on others, but I googled the subject and can recommend these links:

http://fpath.cas.psu.edu/Fruit_facts/Apple/FBAP.html

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/fd3.htm

And I think this paragraph, quoted from one of the above sources, speaks to your question about pruning:

>>4. Cultural Practices -- Generally succulent, rapidly growing twigs and shoots are most susceptible. Management practices which reduce tree growth without an excessive loss of tree vigor are helpful. Such practices include not using excessive amount of nitrogen fertilizer. Watersprouts which develop near the base of the scaffold limbs, crotch, or trunk of the tree should be removed promptly.Pruning can stimulate vigorous growth, which in turn can invite fire blight in certain conditions. On a mature tree follow Don (Jellyman)'s advice to do most of your pruning in the summer, which will help reduce the vigor of the tree, and I would add that picking a dry spell would make sense if possible. My understanding is that pruning before the summer solstice will stimulate more fruit buds.

We'll see what the others have to say- you're likely to get more informed responses than this one, but it's a start.

Here's hoping that the weather always cooperates!

Good luck,

M

Hman where is this line where fireblight becomes a problem?

I'm not sure, and I'm not saying there is a clearly defined line, but southern growers and mid-western growers seem to suffer this scourge much much more than those of us further north.

I managed orchards for more than 15 years before I saw anything more than superficial strikes on annual wood of an occassional tree. To this day, out of hundreds and hundreds of pomes I manage, only 2 Bosc pears have been badly deformed by fireblight and they both look pretty good this year. I have never been driven to bother with treatment beyond cutting out strikes.