A bacterium is destroying crops in Italy and France, where they have been forced to proceed with the burning of the affected specimens, since until now an effective remedy against the disease is unknown. They call it the Ebola of the olive tree and it is of American origin, very contagious. It is not ruled out that it will arrive in Spain in the coming years unless it is prevented.
Keep reading to know more.
The Xylella fastidiosa , a surname that fits like a glove if I may say so, is transmitted through vector insects, that is, those insects that carry the bacteria in their organism, which invades the xylem – woody vessels that they transport liquids from one part of the plant to another and reproduces inside it, obstructing the flow of raw sap -which is a mixture of water with mineral salts, which must reach the leaves to feed them-. The symptoms are hydric stress , decay , wilting and drying of the leaves , and finally the death of the specimen.
Andalusia was the first to alert the rest of the country about the harmful effects of this problem, as it is a territory where we can find millions of hectares of olive trees . However, in the Balearic Islands, for example, routine pest control measures are maintained.
In addition to olive trees, other species such as almond trees , citrus trees , oleanders or oaks can also be affected . It is very important that, at the slightest sign of disease, the tree is cut down and burned , since it is the only way to prevent the other specimens from becoming infected.
The arrival of Xylella fastidiosa in our country would be a severe blow to the olive sector , since only on the island of Mallorca (Balearic archipelago) 327,932 liters of oil are produced per year. In countries like France, the bacterium arrived through the importation of infected trees, which is why both farmers and agronomists hope that the necessary measures will be taken so that olive Ebola does not reach the Iberian Peninsula or the islands.
