Michigan Pears

Pears are a minor crop in Michigan about 1000 acres of pears are scattered between 230 fruit farms.  Most of Michigan's pears are sold to Gerber's and used for baby food.  There are local sales of fresh fruit.  Barlett is the major variety with over 900 acres.  Bosc, the next most important variety, is used as a pollenizer.   Oceana county is the foremost pear county and has over 250 acres.  Allegan, Berrien and Van Buren counties rank second, third and fourth, respectively.

MSU Pear Information

Definitions of Pear Growth Stages in the MSU Fruit CAT Alert.

Critical Bud Temperatures for Spring Frost Damage

The Mills Table is used to predict Apple Scab and is useful for Pear Scab

Michigan Pear Crop Profile is a rather complete overview of pest control in pear production in Michigan

 

Pear Pests:
Codling Moth is a pest which attacks pears as they ripen. Only the second generation attacks pears.

Pear psylla is a pest which is usually controlled by natural predators on unsprayed trees, but sprays to control codling moth reduce the predators so that psyllas build to levels which injure the tree.   Sooty black honeydew on the leaves and fruit are symptoms of this pest. Pear psylla becomes a major pest when it develops resistance to insecticides.

Grape mealy bug is becoming a pest in some pear production areas. It is normally a minor pest in both grapes and pears but seems to be becoming resistant to common insecticides.

Pear leaf blister mite and pear rust mite can cause extensive damage to the fruit. They quickily develop resistance to miticides.

Pear slug or pear sawfly is a pest of minimally sprayed trees.

There are good fireblight resources available at the Van Buren fire blight page

Pear Related Sites

Curious about Pears ? The Pear Bureau Northwest has lots of information.

National Clonal Germplasm Repository. USDA/ARS Corvallis, Oregon

There are good fireblight resources available at the Van Buren fire blight page

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