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An infected olive grove in Italy in 2019

Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) (in Italian: Complesso del Disseccamento Rapido dell'Olivo, CDRO or CoDiRo) is a wasting disease of olive trees which causes dieback of the leaves, twigs and branches so that the trees no longer produce crops of olives. The main cause is a strain of the bacterium, Xylella fastidiosa, which is spread by plant-sucking insects such as the meadow froghopper. The bacteria restrict the flow of sap within the tree and so choke its extremities.[1]

Impact

The disease particularly affects olive groves in Southern Italy. It was first detected in Italy in 2013,[2] in the Salento Peninsula; by late 2013, it was estimated that approximately 8,000 hectares were affected.[3] As of 2020, the disease was threatening olive groves and oil production in Italy, Greece, and Spain, which together account for 95% of European oil production.[4][5] One 2020 model predicts a potential economic impact of the disease for Italy over 50 years between 1.9 billion to 5.6 billion Euros.[4]

In addition to Europe, the disease has also been detected in olive crops in California, Argentina and Brazil.[6]

Symptoms

Symptoms include leaf scorch and desiccation of twigs and branches, beginning at the upper part of the crown and then moving to the rest of the tree, which acquires a burned look.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (PDF), Primary Industries and Regions SA, 2017
  2. ^ Stokstad, Erik (8 May 2015). "Italy's olives under siege". Science. 348 (6235): 620. doi:10.1126/science.348.6235.620. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 25953988.
  3. ^ Martelli, Giovanni P. (1 February 2016). "The current status of the quick decline syndrome of olive in southern Italy". Phytoparasitica. 44 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1007/s12600-015-0498-6. ISSN 1876-7184. S2CID 18746881.
  4. ^ a b Schneider, Kevin; Werf, Wopke van der; Cendoya, Martina; Mourits, Monique; Navas-Cortés, Juan A.; Vicent, Antonio; Lansink, Alfons Oude (28 April 2020). "Impact of Xylella fastidiosa subspecies pauca in European olives". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 117 (17): 9250–9259. doi:10.1073/pnas.1912206117. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 7196823. PMID 32284411.
  5. ^ McGrath, Matt (13 April 2020). "Deadly olive tree disease 'could cost billions'". BBC News. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  6. ^ Saponari, M.; Boscia, D.; Altamura, G.; Loconsole, G.; Zicca, S.; D’Attoma, G.; Morelli, M.; Palmisano, F.; Saponari, A.; Tavano, D.; Savino, V. N. (18 December 2017). "Isolation and pathogenicity of Xylella fastidiosa associated to the olive quick decline syndrome in southern Italy". Scientific Reports. 7 (1): 17723. doi:10.1038/s41598-017-17957-z. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 5735170. PMID 29255232.
  7. ^ Martelli, G. P.; Boscia, D.; Porcelli, F.; Saponari, M. (1 February 2016). "The olive quick decline syndrome in south-east Italy: a threatening phytosanitary emergency". European Journal of Plant Pathology. 144 (2): 235–243. doi:10.1007/s10658-015-0784-7. ISSN 1573-8469. S2CID 16126474.
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