The leaves lose their freshness, the green color gradually “fades” and “paints” in shades of yellow and brown, vitality gives way to “wrinkle”, the fruits become sick and soon the tree dies. Just two hours are enough from the moment the Xylella bacterium it will invade the organism to grow rapidly in the plant’s capillaries, roots, shoots and leaves.
The deadly bacterium is transmitted by insects of the family Cicadellidae and Cercopidae, which feed on the woody vessels of plants and abound in olive trees. Known in Greece as “cicadas”, tiny insects in brown or green color and 3-4 cm in size that feed on the juices of plants, are considered to be responsible for the transmission of the bacterium to olive groves in neighboring Italy, specifically in Apulia, which has been suffering since 2013 and is the first confirmed outbreak in the European Union.
Italian reports spoke of a “slaughter” of trees when Xylella left one behind ghost landscape in Apulia where in the last 15 years more than 21 million trees and at least 8,000 sq.m. were affected. area with infected trees, about 40% of the entire area.
The bacterium is considered one of the most dangerous on a global scale and brings enormous economic consequences to agriculture, since about 300 plant species can be infected by it – but not all of them are susceptible to the disease.
In the event of its spread to more European countries beyond Italy, experts estimate billions in losses over the next 50 years. After all, pCalifornia where Pierce’s disease caused by a strain of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa was observed in the vineyards threatenstai an entire industry with a value that exceeds 3 billion dollars annually. According to an earlier study by the California School of Agriculture it is estimated that the losses from disease they amount to about 104.4 million dollars per year.
How did it get to Europe?
According to evidence, it is estimated that the Xylella bacterium arrived in Italy from Latin America, “travelling” over ornamental coffee plantsafter first… he made a stop in the Netherlands. In particular, the bacterium arrived in Salento, in the south of Puglia, in 2008, from a coffee plant that arrived from Costa Rica, but it was not noticed until five years later, when dozens of olive trees began to die in the area. Since then it has continued to spread northwards ending up in the province of Bari.
Until recently, four were the most known subspecies of the Xylella bacterium around the world: fastidiosa, pauca, multiplex, sabbiosa. However, new subspecies are recorded, such as morus, or recombinations within the same or different subspecies.
Among them, the “annoying” as its name suggests, bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. fastidiosa. Xylella fastidiosa is doubly annoying and persistent fastidiosa like most bacterial diseases has no cure Kai n the only possibility to limit its spread is surveillance, demarcation of areas, destruction of infected plants and control of vector insects.
As experts emphasize, the speed of intervention is fundamental, with Puglia having paid the highest price since the action was not immediate during the first cases.
Open borders to bacteria
As pointed out by Guardian “the European Union has an open import system: Everything that not known to be harmful can enter. Some countries, such as New Zealand and Chile, have opted for a closed system: All are presumed guilty until proven innocent.’
Alberto Santini, a forester at Italy’s National Research Council, speaking to the British newspaper, explained that such open system has allowed entry to an alarming number of plant pathogens and diseases from third countries.
“If you know your enemy, you can try to prevent it from entering your country,” Santini said, explaining that the Xyllela bacterium may not have affected the coffee plants in Costa Rica, but when it encountered the olive trees of Italy developed and spread rapidly.
Despite the subsequent amendment of European regulations on plant pest protection measures, scientists and regulators are not always able to manage the volume being imported.
Almonds, cherries, vines are the victims
The subspecies has advanced towards Bari endangering even the gardens of private villas, with the Phytosanitary Observatory of the Apulia Region announcing that its victims were also almond trees in the Trigiano region. The checks of the inspectors in a radius of two km were immediate in an attempt to limit its spread. At present, it is assumed that it does not attack olive trees, but in almonds, cherries and vines, which, however, are three of the most important agricultural products of Apulia. The authorities have decided to destroy the infected, but also susceptible to the disease, trees in order to prevent further spread of the infection, while checks are also being carried out in other areas of Bari.
What are the measures to prevent the spread of the bacterium
April is considered critical and decisive for limiting the spread of the bacterium, with the authorities calling for the implementation of measures to prevent total destruction. As the Italian Farmers’ Confederation explains (C.I.A) the eggs of midge insects of the Afrophoridae family carriers of the bacterium hatch between February and March. During this interval the insect cannot yet fly and is not infectious. However, in April, which regains this ability, it is necessary to fight it so that Xylella is not transmitted.
In an effort to prevent transmission, the owners of agricultural land are asked to carry out operations such as ploughing, milling, milling, harrowing and chopping as provided for in the action plan of the Apulia Region.
Its regional president C.I.A Apulia and national vice-president of the confederation, Gennaro Sicolo, He made reason for “necessary action” in order to reduce the presence of the insect-carrier and calls on the mayors to carry out checks for a phenomenon that, as he pointed out, constitutes a “national emergency”.
Besides, as he said, the Xylella bacterium is not only a concern for Italy, especially Puglia, but for the whole world, as if it gets out of control it can affect agriculture as a whole and not only olive groves.
Incidents were also observed in olive trees in Corsica, the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain threatening many plant species, as a result of which phytosanitary measures have been taken to eliminate or limit the disease.
Photo: Pixabay
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