Detection and cellular viability assessment of Erwinia amylovora in environmental samples from pear cv. "Rocha" orchards by immuno-flow cytometry

Erwinia amylovora is the causal agent of fire blight, a disease that can lead to the destruction of entire orchards in more susceptible hosts, such as apple and pear trees. This is particularly worrisome considering the relevance of this value chain for the Portuguese agriculture and their socioeconomic importance. Preventive and control measures are the only way to control fire blight, so an early detection of E. amylovora is crucial to avoid critical scenarios. Traditional detection methods can be time-consuming, lead to false-negative results and lack information concerning bacterial viability. Alternative laboratory methods, such as immuno-flow cytometry (IFCM), can help to overcome some of these constrictions by combining the use of antibodies with viability dyes. In this work, we developed and validated an IFCM protocol for the detection and cell viability assessment of E. amylovora present in environmental samples