I posted this info in the identification forum asking for someone to identify the tree and disease. I was told the trees in question were Pear trees and was linked to a page on apple/pear diseases. Looking at that page I thought the diease was fire blight while the person that gave me the link seemed to be leaning toward fabraea leaf spot. So he suggested that I post here for confirmation and further suggestions on control. Here are the pics: Some leaves with spots Many leaves have spots now :( Closer look at a leaf Dead limb There are quite a few of these small limbs that have died completely on each tree. Better look at the fruit Here is the link to the disease page: Fruit Tree Diseases I think that if you click on this link about Fire Blight and compare the dead limbs pictured to the picture of the dead limb on my tree I linked to above that they look nearly identical... which is why think this is Fire Blight.
Definitely a pear tree. Sometimes it takes a lab test to identify a disease for sure, but if it seems to fit a locally prevalent condition it's probably safe to assume it is that condition. Try local Extension office, Master Gardener clinic or trusted independent nursery for other opinions.
Speckling of the leaves seen in the lower portion of the tree is usually an indication of a Bacterial Blast. A large blighted area that quickly turns black and has areas of amber gummosis is regarded as Fire Blight. It appears your tree is possibly showing signs of both diseases but I am not seeing the gummosis from these photos. Fire Blight does not necessarily cause the leaves from wood that was not hit hard to have speckles or deadened areas like as seen in some of your photos. Regardless of whether your tree has both diseases or one or the other you need to prune out all the deadened branches as soon as possible as the blasted areas will serve as infection points for the tree later in the year when Fire Blight really hits hard and for next year for the Bacterial Blast. You are going to want to use a fungicide spray on this tree after you prune this tree hard and again in August to serve a protectant for the main band of Fire Blight to hit. Many times early in the year we suspect Fire Blight has hit us and then later on in the Summer is when we see the more destructive form hit with a vengeance around here. Fruiting Cherries, Pears and Apples are hardest hit at this time for us here. Find a fruit tree specialist to come in and give you some pointers in how to clean up the tree, prune to shape it, give it an Agricultural strength systemic Copper based fungicide spray such as Ridomil and hope you can get some new growth to come back for you during this growing season. What happens with the Bacterial Blast if it is left untreated we will see it again late Spring next year and it gets worse every year as we left the infected areas on the tree to come back and bite us again. With Fire Blight the infected areas can spread, so any areas that have had limbs killed back to the base of the tree need to come off right now, don't even waste your time going to a nursery, you need to go to your nearest cooperative extension and arrange for a tree specialist to come in or have a certified arborist well trained in fruit trees have at your tree or you can do all the work yourself but keep in mind that every pruning cut you make must be disinfected as if your shears and pruners are not sanitized you can infect other areas of your tree with your non-sanitized pruning. Buy a gallon of Chlorox and go for it but don't delay as the worst form of Fire Blight is on its way later in the year. Your tree has already been weakened albeit not that bad yet but you are looking at it being much worse later if not killed outright at some point in time if you do nothing. I've seen Fire Blight hit here in 100 degree plus weather in August and kill a 15' fruiting Pear tree before. The person did not listen to me after a serous bout with Bacterial Blast and saw first hand the result of what I warned might happen when the real Fire Blight hits. Good luck, Jim
