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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Crop Diseases, Pests and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #307689
Title: Olive “quick decline” in Italy is associated with Xylella fastidiosa, a plant pathogenic bacterium also associated with California olives

Author
item FICHTNER, ELIZABETH - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item LIGHTLE, DANIELLE - University Of California - Cooperative Extension Service
item Krugner, Rodrigo

Submitted to: CAPCA Adviser Magazine
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/30/2014
Publication Date: 9/1/2014
Citation: Fichtner, E., Lightle, D., Krugner, R. 2014. Olive “quick decline” in Italy is associated with Xylella fastidiosa, a plant pathogenic bacterium also associated with California olives. CAPCA Adviser Magazine. p.44-45.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce’s Disease on grapevine, has made its first documented entrance to continental Europe, possibly associated with a new disease on olive called “quick decline.” In October 2013, X. fastidiosa was reported in the Puglia region of southern Italy on declining olive trees. Symptoms include extensive branch and twig dieback, yellow and brown lesions on leaf tips and margins, vascular discoloration, and subsequent tree mortality. Disease severity is worse on older trees. Similar symptoms have been observed in commercial and landscape plantings of olive in California, but studies showed that disease symptoms could not be attributed to X. fastidiosa infection of olive. Research efforts have identified the subspecies of X. fastidiosa present in California olives and the consequent risk of olives, as a source of inoculum and vector habitat, for pathogen transmission to other crops, including grapevine and almond.