Wrap-up from a Consortium Meeting and Field Trip to Locorotondo on Oct. 27-29th, 2021. Apulia, a charming region in the heel of Italy, is famous for many things: historical ports and picturesque Trulli stone houses, subtropical feelings at its southern beaches, renowned food and wine and, of course, vast olive...
Modes of action of biopesticides designed to fight Xylella fastidiosa
Olive Quick Decline Syndrome is a disease that is devastating olive trees in Apulia, Italy. It is caused by the strain De Donno of Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium which is efficiently transmitted by the xylem-feeding insect Philaenus spumarius (xylem transports water and nutrients from roots to stems and leaves). The...
From disaster survey to design of effective and efficient measures
The objective of BIOVEXO is to develop environmentally sustainable and economically viable plant protection solutions combining Xylella-targeting biopesticides (X-biopesticides) with biopesticides combatting the insect vectors transmitting the bacterium (V-biopesticides) and to make them for ready use in integrated pest management. Whereas in the first months of the project BIOVEXO colleagues...
Not all Xylellas are born equal V
The last blog of this series focuses on other plants susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa, i.e. on pecan trees and on coffea species. A small update on olive trees concludes the blog. Fruit trees susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa | BIOVEXO compilationPecan Pecan bacterial leaf scorch (PBLS), caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp....
Not all Xyllellas are born equal IV
Following the blogs describing Xylella fastidiosa subspecies attacking grapevine and citrus species, this time we take a look at other fruit trees, at trees of the yammy Prunus family (plums, peaches, apricots…). Fruit trees susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa | BIOVEXO compilationPrunus genus Cultivated plants belonging to the genus Prunus are...
Not all Xylellas are born equal III
After discussing the overall situation with various subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa and the impact of Xylella on grapevine, this blog focuses on other food/fruit plants from the graphics bellow – this time on citrus species. Citrus species Citrus variegated chlorosis (CVC) is a bacterial disease caused by a subspecies pauca...
Not all Xylellas are born equal II
Xylella fastidiosa is one of the most dangerous plant bacteria worldwide, causing a variety of diseases, with huge economic, societal and cultural impact for agriculture, rural landscape, gardens and the environment. The bacterium lives in the plant xylem tissue and it is normally spread by insect vectors feeding from the...
Not all Xylellas are born equal I
The first report about a disease caused by Xylella fastidiosa dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, when the so called “California vine disease” destroyed about 14,000 ha of grapes in the Los Angeles area. Newton Pierce (1856–1916), a bacteriologist, was assigned to study the epidemic and even...
Xylella control and prevention: Can Europe’s olive production survive the disaster?
As olive lovers, olive traders and, first of all, olive growers know, since a few years, European olive groves and European olive production are under serious threat. The reason being that olive trees, first in Italian Apulia, then in Balearic Islands, and thereafter in mainland Spain, France and other countries,...
Great Britain introduces new Xylella measures for March 2021
The UK's Chief Plant Health Officer released a statement in February 2021, stating that new Xylella measures are to come into force on the 4th of March 2021.