A survey in natural olive resources exposed to high inoculum pressure indicates the presence of traits of resistance to in Leccino offspring.

Introduction: The epidemic spread of the harmful bacterium causing the "olive quick decline syndrome", decimating olive trees in southern Italy, in the region of Apulia, prompted investigations to search for olive genotypes harbouring traits of resistance.

Methods: A prospecting survey was carried out to identify, in the heavily infected area of Apulia, olive genotypes bearing resistance. Given the limited genetic diversity in the commercial olive groves with few cultivars widely cultivated, surveys targeted predominantly spontaneous olive genotypes in natural and uncultivated areas.

A model for predicting the phenology of Philaenus spumarius.

The design and implementation of Philaenus spumarius control strategies can take advantage of properly calibrated models describing and predicting the phenology of vector populations in agroecosystems. We developed a temperature-driven physiological-based model based on the system of Kolmogorov partial differential equations to predict the phenological dynamics of P. spumarius.

Exploring the xylem-sap to unravel biological features of subspecies ST53 in immune, resistant and susceptible crop species through metabolomics and studies.

subsp. ST53 () is a pathogenic bacterium causing one of the most severe plant diseases currently threatening the olive-growing areas of the Mediterranean, the Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS). The majority of the olive cultivars upon infections more or less rapidly develop severe desiccation phenomena, while few are resistant (e.

A mathematical model of biofilm growth and spread within plant xylem: Case study of Xylella fastidiosa in olive trees.

Xylem-limited bacterial pathogens cause some of the most destructive plant diseases. Though imposed measures to control these pathogens are generally ineffective, even among susceptible taxa, some hosts can limit bacterial loads and symptom expression. Mechanisms by which this resistance is achieved are poorly understood.

Non-Targeted Spectranomics for the Early Detection of Infection in Asymptomatic Olive Trees, cv. Cellina di Nardò.

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a disease that has been seriously affecting olive trees in southern Italy since around 2009. During the disease, caused by subsp. sequence type ST53 (), the flow of water and nutrients within the trees is significantly compromised.

Bioecological Traits of Spittlebugs and Their Implications for the Epidemiology and Control of the Epidemic in Apulia (Southern Italy).

Spatial-temporal dynamics of spittlebug populations, together with transmission biology, are of major importance to outline the disease epidemiology of subsp. in Apulian olive groves. The spread rate of is mainly influenced by (i) the pathogen colonization of the host plant; (ii) the acquisition of the pathogen by the vector from an infected plant, and its inoculation to healthy plants; (iii) the vector population dynamics and abundance at different spatial scales; and (iv) the dispersal of the vector.

as a model plant host for : Control of infections by transient expression and endotherapy with a bifunctional peptide.

Transient expression of genes encoding peptides BP134 and BP178 by means of a (PVX) based-vector system, and treatment with synthetic peptides by endotherapy, were evaluated in the control of infections, in the model plant . Transient production of BP178 significantly decreased disease severity compared to PVX and non-treated control (NTC) plants, without adverse effects. Plants treated with synthetic BP134 and BP178 showed consistently lower levels of disease than NTC plants.

Transmission of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca ST53 by the Sharpshooter Cicadella viridis From Different Source Plants and Artificial Diets.

The sharpshooter Cicadella viridis L. (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is the most common sharpshooter in Europe and, given its xylem feeding behavior, is considered a potential vector of the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al. (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae).

Susceptible and resistant olive cultivars show differential physiological response to infections.

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a severe disease, first described in Italy in late 2013, caused by strains of subsp. in susceptible olive cultivars. Conversely, resistant olive cultivars do not develop OQDS but present scattered branch dieback, which generally does not evolve to severe canopy decline.

Xylella fastidiosa's relationships: the bacterium, the host plants, and the plant microbiome.

Xylella fastidiosa is the causal agent of important crop diseases and is transmitted by xylem-sap-feeding insects. The bacterium colonizes xylem vessels and can persist with a commensal or pathogen lifestyle in more than 500 plant species. In the past decade, reports of X.

Introduction and adaptation of an emerging pathogen to olive trees in Italy.

The invasive plant pathogen currently threatens European flora through the loss of economically and culturally important host plants. This emerging vector-borne bacterium, native to the Americas, causes several important diseases in a wide range of plants including crops, ornamentals, and trees. Previously absent from Europe, and considered a quarantine pathogen, was first detected in Apulia, Italy in 2013 associated with a devastating disease of olive trees (Olive Quick Decline Syndrome, OQDS).

Divergent abiotic spectral pathways unravel pathogen stress signals across species.

Plant pathogens pose increasing threats to global food security, causing yield losses that exceed 30% in food-deficit regions. Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) represents the major transboundary plant pest and one of the world's most damaging pathogens in terms of socioeconomic impact. Spectral screening methods are critical to detect non-visual symptoms of early infection and prevent spread.

Olea Europaea Geminivirus: A Novel Bipartite Geminivirid Infecting Olive Trees.

In 2014, high-throughput sequencing of libraries of total DNA from olive trees allowed the identification of two geminivirus-like contigs. After conventional resequencing of the two genomic DNAs, their analysis revealed they belonged to the same viral entity, for which the provisional name of Olea europaea geminivirus (OEGV) was proposed. Although DNA-A showed a genome organization similar to that of New World begomoviruses, DNA-B had a peculiar ORF arrangement, consisting of a movement protein (MP) in the virion sense and a protein with unknown function on the complementary sense.

HPLC-MS/MS method applied to an untargeted metabolomics approach for the diagnosis of "olive quick decline syndrome".

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) is a disorder associated with bacterial infections caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca ST53 in olive trees. Metabolic profile changes occurring in infected olive trees are still poorly investigated, but have the potential to unravel reliable biomarkers to be exploited for early diagnosis of infections.

A non-targeted metabolomics study on Xylella fastidiosa infected olive plants grown under controlled conditions.

In the last decade, the bacterial pathogen Xylella fastidiosa has devastated olive trees throughout Apulia region (Southern Italy) in the form of the disease called "Olive Quick Decline Syndrome" (OQDS). This study describes changes in the metabolic profile due to the infection by X. fastidiosa subsp.

Shape and rate of movement of the invasion front of Xylella fastidiosa spp. pauca in Puglia.

In 2013, Xylella fastidiosa spp. pauca was first reported in Puglia, Italy, causing the olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS). Since then the disease has spread, prompting the initiation of management measures to contain the outbreak.

Dispersal of Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae), a Vector of Xylella fastidiosa, in Olive Grove and Meadow Agroecosystems.

The introduction of the Xylella fastidiosa Wells bacterium into Apulia (South Italy) has caused the massive dieback of olive trees, and is threatening olive production throughout the Mediterranean Region. The key vector of X. fastidiosa in Europe is the spittlebug Philaenus spumarius L.

Phenotypic Characterization and Transformation Attempts Reveal Peculiar Traits of Subspecies Strain De Donno.

subsp. strain De Donno has been recently identified as the causal agent of a severe disease affecting olive trees in a wide area of the Apulia Region (Italy). While insights on the genetics and epidemiology of this virulent strain have been gained, its phenotypic and biological traits remained to be explored.

Spatial Bayesian Modeling Applied to the Surveys of in Alicante (Spain) and Apulia (Italy).

The plant-pathogenic bacterium was first reported in Europe in 2013, in the province of Lecce, Italy, where extensive areas were affected by the olive quick decline syndrome, caused by the subsp. . In Alicante, Spain, almond leaf scorch, caused by subsp.

Differences in the Endophytic Microbiome of Olive Cultivars Infected by across Seasons.

The dynamics of infections in the context of the endophytic microbiome was studied in field-grown plants of the susceptible and resistant olive cultivars Kalamata and FS17. Whole metagenome shotgun sequencing (WMSS) coupled with 16S/ITS rRNA gene sequencing was carried out on the same trees at two different stages of the infections: In Spring 2017 when plants were almost symptomless and in Autumn 2018 when the trees of the susceptible cultivar clearly showed desiccations. The progression of the infections detected in both cultivars clearly unraveled that tends to occupy the whole ecological niche and suppresses the diversity of the endophytic microbiome.

Coding-Complete Genome Sequence of a Isolate from Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) in Italy.

In this study, we documented the complete coding genome sequence of a (BQCV) isolate from honey bees in Italy. This genome sequence illustrates a high similarity with other BQCV isolates reported worldwide and could provide insights into BQCV genome phylogeny and divergence.

Antagonistic activity of olive endophytic bacteria and of Bacillus spp. strains against Xylella fastidiosa.

Strains of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca characterized by a specific genotype, the so called sequence type "ST53", have been associated with a severe disease named Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS). Despite the relevant research efforts devoted to control the disease caused by X.

Non-Lethal Effects of -Acetylcysteine on Strain De Donno Biofilm Formation and Detachment.

This study investigated in-vitro the non-lethal effects of -acetylcysteine (NAC) on subspecies strain De Donno (Xf-DD) biofilm. This strain was isolated from the olive trees affected by the olive quick decline syndrome in southern Italy. Xf-DD was first exposed to non-lethal concentrations of NAC from 0.