Image – Interempresas.net
There are a number of pests and diseases that attack plants, but few have become as well known in such a short time as the Xylella fastidiosa. This bacterium, native to California, affects several species of important economic interest, such as olive or almond trees, so that many farmers are doing everything possible to protect their crops.
In Gardening On and in order to deactivate the alarm that has been created, we are going to explain everything you need to know about this bacterium.
What is it?
Olives, one of the affected species.
The Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium of the proteobacteria class native to northern California. In 2013 it was detected in an olive grove in southern Italy, where just 2 years later it would end up affecting millions of olive trees. But it did not stop there, but at the end of 2016 it was detected in Spain, specifically in the Balearic Islands, from where biologists criticize the lack of control in the import and export of vegetables.
At the end of June 2017, it was detected for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula, in Guadalest (Alicante). And in April 2018 the first case was detected in Madrid, specifically in Villarejo.
For now no cure found.
How is it spread?
This microorganism is transmitted through insect vectors that feed on plant saplike the cercópidos (they look like small cicadas) especially in spring and summer, which is when temperatures are between 26 and 28ºC maximum. Once the vector bites an infected plant, the bacteria will remain in the insect’s feeding structures, which will transmit it to the next plant that bites.
What are the symptoms?
Image – University of Florida: IFAS UF School of Forest Resources & Conservation
Symptoms can vary from species to species, but usually you have to worry if we see:
- Wilt of leaves
- The plant looks like downcast, sad
- Drying of leaves and branches
- Chlorosis
- Mottled in leaves
What plants does it affect?
The X. annoying It has more than 100 different host plants, with woody crops being the main affected cropsLike avocado, citrus, almond, peach tree, vine, oleander, oak, elm, Maple, or the sweetgum.
What measures have been taken to prevent the spread?
Image – Agropopular.com
Some that are not liking anything to farmers or environmentalists. On one side, not only the affected plants but also those that are hosts of the bacteria within a radius of 100 meters are being eliminated. In addition, color traps have been set in order to control and eliminate vector insects within a radius of 500 meters.
On the other hand, from the Ministry of the Environment of the Balearic Islands the decision has been made to prohibit the export of a series of plant species that you can consult here! (page 3).
What are the responses from farmers and environmentalists being?
When such a pest spreads sometimes farmers and environmentalists don’t go hand in hand, which is completely natural. The former obviously have a business and want to get money out of it; environmentalists expect the environment to be taken care of. But in the case of Xylella, both have a common goal: to eradicate this disease so that both crops and nature can be restored, even little by little.
Therefore, urge that everything possible be done to put an end to this problemwhich is killing hundreds of thousands of trees. Without going too far back, in March 2018 they were detected 627 Ebola outbreaks of the olive tree in the Balearic Islands; a month later all the trees had been cut down.
In the case of Madrid, not only the affected trees were uprooted, but also those that were located within a 100-meter radius. All of these are losses both for those who grow them and for the environment. So it is urgent to find really effective measures to end the Xylella fastidiosa.
What can you do to avoid spreading it?
The reality is that individuals cannot do much, since they are the ones in charge of ordering plants from the nurseries who must comply with the law and strictly follow what is indicated. But for example, and as we have seen a little above, in the Balearic Islands we are prohibited from sending certain plantswhether we are particular or not.
In addition, in the event that we suspect that a specific plant could have Ebola from the olive tree, it will be important to contact the plant health department that corresponds to our locality.
Finally, we have to buy healthy specimens. If they have yellow leaves before their time (for example, if it is a deciduous tree that loses its leaves in spring), the trunk looks bad, or it has pests, we will not buy it.
In the event that you have questions, do not hesitate to ask .
