Xylella Spreads to Olive Trees in France
Xylella fasÂtidiosa has spread to olive trees in France, with the first two cases of infected trees idenÂtiÂfied in the towns of Antibes and Menton in the South of France. The French agriÂculÂture minÂistry plans to preÂvent the spread of the disÂease by destroyÂing the infected trees and uprootÂing other vulÂnerÂaÂble plants within a five-kiloÂmeÂter radius.
Xylella fasÂtidiosa has spread to olive trees in France.
On Friday, September 6 France’s agriÂculÂture minÂistry said it had idenÂtiÂfied the first two cases of olive trees infected with the pathogen, which has destroyed scores of groves across Italy and the Mediterranean region.
See Also:Complete Coverage: Xylella FastidiosaIn France, Xylella was first found on the island of Corsica in July 2015. At the time it affected myrÂtle-leaf milkÂwort plants — not olive trees.
The two infected olive trees, which were kept for ornaÂmenÂtal purÂposes, were detected in the towns of Antibes and Menton in the South of France.
The minÂistry said the trees were infected by the same pauca subÂspecies of Xylella that has destroyed olive trees across Italy.
They said they would try to preÂvent the spread of the disÂease by destroyÂing the two trees in the next few days and uprootÂing all other plants that are vulÂnerÂaÂble to Xylella within a five-kiloÂmeÂter radius of the two reported cases.
Xylella fasÂtidiosa is a plant pathÂoÂgenic bacÂteÂria that has led to the destrucÂtion of olive trees in some regions, espeÂcially Puglia, Italy. Widespread efforts are underÂway at varÂiÂous local and interÂnaÂtional levÂels to conÂtrol the pathogen.
Xylella is spread by xylem fluid-feedÂing insects.
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