Xylella fastidiosa in olive oil trees in Brazil: knowing the bacteria and the vectors for the sustainable management

• Grant number: 16/02176-7
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: March 01, 2017 - August 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Convênio/Acordo: European Commission (Horizon 2020)
• Principal Investigator: Helvecio Della Coletta Filho
• Grantee: Helvecio Della Coletta Filho
• Principal researcher abroad: Maria Saponari
• Institution abroad: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy
• Host Institution: Instituto Agronômico (IAC). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alessandra Alves de Souza ; Edna Ivani Bertoncini ; Joao Roberto Spotti Lopes ; Luiz Fernando de Oliveira da Silva ; Marcos Antonio Machado ; Rodrigo P. P. Almeida

Abstract

Earlier restricted to the Americas, the multi-host vector-transmitted bacterium Xylella fastidiosa has now been reported in Europe (southern Italy and France) and Asia (Iran and Taiwan). The devastating impact caused by the outbreak know as Olive Quick Decline syndrome (OQD) associated with X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca in Puglia (southern Italy), the reports of X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex in ornamental plants in southern France, and the interception of other subspecies and strains of X. fastidiosa in Europe have led to great concern to the European community involved in Plant Protection. In the meantime, here in Brazil, there is an emergent Olive oil industry (http://assoolive.blogspot.com.br/) represented by small growers from around 70 municipalities located in mountain regions of São Paulo and Minas Gerais States. Unfortunately we also found X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca infecting Olive plants in some of olive orchards from both States. The Italian and Brazilian OQD-associated X. fastidiosa are not the same strain. Since 2014 we have been working in collaboration with Italian researchers (Dr. Maria Saponari and Dr. Donato Boscia - Institute for Sustainable Protection - CNR, Bari, Italy) regarding to X. fastidiosa. Now with the proposal XF-ACTORS (Xylella fastidiosa -Active Containment Through a Multidisciplinary-Oriented Research Strategy) submitted to the Horizon2020 in European Union and with the FAPESP-H2020 Call for joint proposals, an opportunity arises to work closely with the EU partners, but studying the emerging OQD problem in Brazil. Our joint proposal aims are to study: 1) the pathogen, addressing questions like 'what strains are present on disease plants?' and 'those strains come from where?' regarding to X. fastidiosa strains associated with OQD in Brazil; 2) the host plants, by searching for alternative host plants and sources of genetic resistance in the Olive Germplasm Bank; 3) the vectors, by dissecting the species diversity, prevalence and population dynamics of xylem sap-feeding Auchenorrhyncha and their potential as vectors of X. fastidiosa in olive growing regions of southeastern Brazil; and 4. the management, by testing bactericidal and antioxidant compounds. We believe that our expertise acquired with Citrus Variegated Chlorosis - a X. fastidiosa pathosystem in Brazil, and the richness of X. fastidiosa strains and vectors in the tropics, will be useful in collaboration with the European partners as well as for the studies of these bacteria in Olive. In addition, Europeans researchers have been intensively working with the X. fastidiosa in olive trees, which would allow us to advance research on X. fastidiosa infecting olives in Brazil faster. Lastly, the XF-ACTORS proposal involves 26 research groups (EU, Taiwan, Costa Rica, and US) increasing the significance of our collaborative effort. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FROZA, JOYCE A.; QUINTAS, VICTOR; MEJDALANI, GABRIEL. A new species of Erythrogonia Melichar, 1926 (Insecta: Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Cicadellini) from the Mantiqueira mountain range, southeastern Brazil, associated with olive orchards. Zootaxa, v. 4996, n. 2, p. 374-382, JUL 5 2021. (16/02176-7)

SAFADY, NAGELA GOMES; LOPES, JOAO R. S.; FRANCISCO, CAROLINA S.; DELLA COLETTA-FILHO, HELVECIO. Distribution and Genetic Diversity of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca Associated with Olive Quick Syndrome Symptoms in Southeastern Brazil. PHYTOPATHOLOGY, v. 109, n. 2, p. 257-264, FEB 2019. (16/02176-7, 17/15092-9)

DOS SANTOS, BEATRIZ DE N. G.; ANGUITA-MAESO, MANUEL; COLETTA-FILHO, HELVECIO D.. Transmission and distribution of Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca in olive trees as a parameter for managing olive quick decline syndrome. PLANT PATHOLOGY, v. 71, n. 9, p. 10-pg., 2022-09-01. (16/02176-7)

DONEGAN, MONICA A. A.; COLETTA-FILHO, HELVECIO D.; ALMEIDA, RODRIGO P. P.. Parallel host shifts in a bacterial plant pathogen suggest independent genetic solutions. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 9-pg., 2023-03-29. (16/02176-7)