The Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has announced the authorisation of a biological product based on bacteriophages to assist in fire blight control within pear and apple orchards. This decision, reached in collaboration with the Catalan Department of Agriculture and the fruit sector association Afrucat, aims to mitigate the spread of one of the most destructive diseases affecting pome fruit.
Fire Blight Control: Addressing Severe Crop Damage
Fire blight (Erwinia amylovora) is a bacterial disease that causes rapid necrosis in fruit trees. It often gives branches a scorched appearance. This disease is highly contagious and frequently necessitates the uprooting of entire plantations to prevent further spread. The authorisation follows a difficult period for growers, who faced significant losses during the previous season.
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Home » Fire Blight Control: Spain Authorises Bacteriophage Product for Apple and Pear Crops
Rosa Altisent, Director General of Agriculture and Livestock, highlighted the urgency of the measure following the impact of the disease in 2025.
“Given the severe impact of fire blight in the 2025 season, the serious concern about the damage caused and the difficulty of its control, the Government continues to work to guarantee tools for the fruit sector to improve plant health and reaffirm ourselves as super plantations.”
Rosa Altisent, Director General of Agriculture and Livestock
Regional Scope and Timeline for Fire Blight Control
The authorisation allows for the use of the bacteriophage treatment in three major agricultural regions: Catalonia, Aragon, and La Rioja. The approved window for application has been set for the upcoming growing season, running from 15 March 2026 to 12 July 2026, inclusive.
Bacteriophages are viruses that selectively target and kill specific bacteria. Therefore, they offer a biological alternative to traditional chemical treatments. The product in question is currently undergoing the registration phase within the European Union. Consequently, this temporary authorisation provides Spanish growers with an additional mode of action to manage plant health while the standard EU regulatory processes are finalised.
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