I've never seen fireblight affect only leaves in the middle of the shoot, like your photos seem to indicate.

My guess is you have the later effects of Honeycrisp yellows, a unique disorder which affects Honeycrisp.

It could be hopper burn, but probably Honeycrisp yellows.

The tree looks like it is in somewhat poor health. I'd probably recommend a mild fertilizer, as well as making sure the young tree isn't forced to compete with grass/weeds around the base of the tree.

If it's especially dry during the summer, it might be a good idea to give the young tree a drink every once in a while.

I've heard of trees getting infected with fungus as result of drought stress, but the other leaves don't seem to indicate drought issues. Leaves usually turn color and fall off.

Not sure what is going on but would like to know what's on the bark. It's closer to fire blight than the yellows.

Is the bark healthy under the area where those whitish pustuales are located? Any evidence of insect feeding on the blacked leaves? Sorta looks like an area affected by webworms.

Fruitnut,

Just to clarify, I mentioned the later effects of Honeycrips yellows. I've never seen leaves turn brown before first turning yellow. These leaves were yellow earlier in the season.

I think the poster potentially missed the earlier problems with this foliage (i.e. yellow leaves) which eventually desiccated and turned brown.

They really aren't yellow, rather moddled. It looks like a virus infection. And some leaves above and/or below would likely have the moddled pattern.

This is Honeycrisp yellows. I don't expect these leaves to brown or fall off early.

Another pic of yellows.

This is another variety on same tree not yellows. These leaves are falling off from the middle of a shoot. I don't know what issue is involved.

I think fire blighted leaves can turn brown without yellowing first. But not likely in the middle of a shoot. Orchardman's problem probably isn't fire blight or HC yellows.

Here is another pic of another Bartlett, w/ much lighter fireblight strikes. Again whole shoots are blighted.

Beyond the fact that the whole shoot died, what's your point?

All I questioned about your initial comments was about HC yellows being the cause.

Leaves that turn yellow before turning brown fall off. If they go green to brown like your blighted shoots or Orchardman's leaves, they stay attached because the absicission layer never had a chance to form.

My point is that the symptoms based on the pics of the OP do not suggest fireblight to me.

I respectfully disagree with your comment, " It's closer to fire blight than the yellows."

Perhaps it's not the yellows, but just because you haven't experienced browning of yellowed Honeycrisp leaves which cling doesn't necessarily indicate others (in other areas) have not. I've seen Honeycrisp photos of much more severely yellowed leaves than your own pictured (in other words a more severe case of Honeycrisp yellows).

"I've never seen leaves turn brown before first turning yellow."

Next year keep a better eye on your blighted shoots. You'll see something new.

It appears our posts/edits were overlapping earlier, which makes it a bit confusing to follow.

One thing we can agree on is that it's probably not fireblight.

And yes, fireblight can affect shoots so rapidly to turn them from pretty much a wilted green to brown.