Related Projects & Initiatives

BeXyl stands for ‘Beyond Xylella’ and means integrating different scientific approaches to propose and test practical solutions to manage Xylella fastidiosa outbreaks in the EU.

The project supports studies in basic and applied research on the drivers of Xf establishment in Europe, resistant plant varieties, new detection and surveillance systems, plant-microbiome treatments, the economic and social impact of the outbreaks.

LIFE RESILIENCE proposes to develop genotypes of productive and pathogen-resistant plants, apply practices and innovate in natural methods of vector control to demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing negative effects of Xylella fastidiosa.

EuroXanth addresses the challenge of present, emerging or re-emerging plant diseases due to infection by bacteria of the Xanthomonadaceae family, which are continually challenging food security and cause significant losses to the COST countries’ economy each year. 

In the CURE-FX project the different aspects of Xylella fastidiosa assessment and management (pathogen-hosts interaction, characterization, diagnosis, epidemiology, monitoring, etc) are tackled.

The objectives of CURE-XF are:

1. To exchange the scientific capacities and novelties among the European Countries as well as between EU and third countries, in particular sensitive neighbour countries.
2. To strengthen the knowledge and the know-how on Xf in third countries having intense exchange of plant material with Europe.
3. To raise awareness in relation to Xf impacts and risks upon its establishment

XF-ACTORS is a research project to improve prevention, early detection and control of Xylella fastidiosa through the establishment of a multidisciplinary research program. The overall goal of the research program is to develop scientific knowledge on the pathogenicity, transmissibility and host susceptibility to the Xf strains recovered in the EU outbreaks, toward the implementation of tools for pest risk assessment, for prevention and reduction of the impact of the Xylella-induced diseases. The research actions are complementary to those carried out under the POnTE Project, thus ensuring effective cooperation and continuity with currently ongoing efforts.

The Pest Organisms Threatening Europe (POnTE) Project focuses to minimize the risk of introduction/impact of emerging pests threatening EU agriculture and forestry. The targets are: 1) Xylella fastidiosa and its vectors in olive, grapevine, citrus, stone fruit, ornamentals and landscape trees of high socio-economic importance; 2) ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ and its vectors affecting a number of strategic crops such as potato, tomato and carrot; and 3) Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (anomorph. Chalara fraxinea) and Phytophthora spp. seriously affecting broadleaf and conifer species in forest ecosystems. Targeted pests, their vectors and the host response will be explored using innovative approaches (NGS, transcriptomic). Diseases surveillance and epidemiology given by current methods will integrate improved survey protocols and remote sensing. Innovative IPM will include studies of microbiome to develop sustainable solutions in line with the EU plant health legislation. New knowledge gained with POnTE will result in an outcome-based pest prevention and management work plan to:
a) implement area-wide pest risk assessments;
b) prevent the entry and develop surveillance and early detection tools (diagnostic kits, lab-on-chip, new biomarkers);
c) mitigate the spread and reduce the socio-economic impact;
d) IPM based on disease resistance, disease-free seeds, cultural practices and physical environmentally-friendly treatments;
e) support knowledge-based decision-making policies at EU level.