‘Bell’ Pear

Abstract

‘Bell’ (Pyrus communis L.) is an early-season pear variety that combines fire blight resistance with exceptional flavor and high productivity. Fire blight, caused by the bacterial pathogen Erwinia amylovora, is a devastating disease for pear growers in the mid-Atlantic region and other pear production areas prone to hot and humid climates. ‘Bell’ has exhibited strong resistance to natural infection by Erwinia compared with the susceptible, industry-standard ‘Bartlett’. ‘Bell’ also exhibits a “balanced” sugar and acidity content that is desirable and preferred by pear consumers. The US Department of Agriculture and Pennsylvania State University released ‘Bell’ in 2022 as a fresh-market pear for commercial, direct-to-market, and home production.

Keywords

• pyrus communis
• fire blight
• disease resistance
• fruit breeding
• variety release