A Pox on an Orchard: Plum Pox Hits Wayne
Tuesday, July 22 2008
WAYNE COUNTY -- As if hail wasn’t bad enough, Wayne County fruit growers last week received a letter from the state Department of Agriculture and Markets informing them that the Plum Pox Virus has been found in an orchard in Williamson.
Ag and Markets isn’t identifying the grower, but established a quarantine area where no trees can be transported in or out. All trees within a 75-foot radius must be removed and destroyed. Most growers estimate losses to do that could be in the thousands of dollars, if they have young peach trees.
The state works in cooperation with the USDA to make sure that growers who have to uproot trees are compensated.
And, if the virus were detected on trees 50 or 60 feet apart, an entire orchard could be destroyed.
Plum Pox was first found in n Niagara County and spread this year to Orleans County. The state thinks the virus is transported by aphids. It affects stone fruits, which are those with pits, like plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and even some varieties of sweet almonds.
Cornell University says Plum Pox Virus reduces the quality of the fruit, and over time, renders the tree useless for fruit production. The skin of the fruit may develop lightly pigmented rings and brown areas.
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