Investigating the distribution of strains of E. amylovora and streptomycin resistance in apple orchards in New York using CRISPR profiles: a six-year follow-up.. Erwinia amylovora

E. amylovora is the causal agent of the disease fire blight, one of the most important diseases of apples. The goal of this study was to describe the distribution of E. amylovora strains collected from commercial orchards in NY State from 2015 to 2020. Characterization of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) loci were sequenced and CRISPR profiles used to describe strains and describe geographic distribution. For a subset of isolates, the full genome was sequenced and used to describe phylogenetic relationship. Understanding the distribution of strains will enable epidemiological investigations and track back efforts. Results from this work will directly influence sustainable fire blight management recommendations for commercial apple industries in NY State and other regions.