Young infected shoots that rapidly wilt as if scorched by fire have which disease?

• A. Fireblight
• B. Cedar-Apple Rust
• C. Black Spot
• D. Powdery Mildew

Answer: (A)

Fireblight is the disease that matches this description. It’s a bacterial illness that causes new shoots to wilt very quickly and take on a burned or scorched look, often starting at the tips. Infections typically occur in warm, wet conditions, especially during bloom, and the shoots may bend into a “shepherd’s crook” as they die back. The pathogen behind fireblight is Erwinia amylovora, and it can spread from blossoms or pruning tools. Other diseases listed don’t produce this rapid shoot wilting with a scorched appearance—powdery mildew looks like white powder on leaves, black spot creates dark lesions and leaf drop, and cedar-apple rust causes orange spots or rust pustules rather than scorched shoot wilting.