Xylella fastidiosa is a Gram-negative bacterium, belonging to the class of Proteobacteria, which causes serious economic damage to agriculture in many American and European countries. It can infect a wide variety of plants, some of which are of great economic interest, such as vines, olive trees, almonds, plums, peaches, citrus fruits, coffee, bay leaves and ornamental plants such as shade bananas, oaks, elms, maples, or liquidambars, among others. Currently more than 350 species of host plants are described, both monocot and dicot. In many of them, the bacterium does not cause apparent damage, but works as reservoirs. The disease is transmitted by insects that feed on the xylemic fluid and act as vectors or transmitting agents.
The main objective of the Network is to exchange information and knowledge among countries affected by diseases caused by X. fastidiosa in order to collect all available data on the bacterium, its vectors, the situation of affected crops in Ibero-American countries and the ongoing prevention and control activities. This information is intended to generate knowledge that will contribute to the development of a surveillance and technological alert system that will enable local and regional governments to take the necessary measures to ultimately monitor, contain and eradicate the disease.
The specific objectives of the network will focus on the following axes: P1) Information on the bacteria; P2) Information on transmission vectors; P3) Information on the interaction of the bacteria with the plant; P4) Information on therapies; P5) Information on remote sensing methodologies; P6) Information on the environmental, social and economic impact of diseases and control measures.
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