Cherry and Plum Canker (Pseudomonas syringae)

Bacterial canker affects fruit and ornamental Prunus trees, mainly cherry and plum, but also apricot, peach, plum, and ornamental trees. It is caused by variants of the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. Symptoms include oozing, gummy or sunken areas of bark, and brown spots or holes on leaves. The bacterium gets into the plant tissues via natural openings or wounds. Plants damaged by frost are particularly susceptible. There are no chemical treatments and, to contain the disease, infected parts or whole trees need to be destroyed.

Researchers on our Pseudomonas-Prunus project are trying to understand how strains of this bacteria have become specialised to infect cherry. They hope this will help predict the emergence of new diseases, giving us a head start on developing control strategies.

Find out more about bacterial canker via these resources:

• Information webpage on bacterial canker from RHS
• Factsheet on bacterial canker from Oregon State University

Find blog posts and news about bacterial canker on this website