Preliminary Molecular Survey of the Possible Presence of <i>Xylella fastidiosa</i> in the Upper Ionian Coasts of Calabria, Italy, through the Capture and Analysis of Its Main Vector Insects

oleh: Luca Lombardo, Pierluigi Rizzo, Carmine Novellis, Veronica Vizzarri

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-05-01

Deskripsi

<i>Xylella fastidiosa</i> subsp. <i>pauca</i>, strain CoDiRO is the bacterium responsible for the onset of the disease known as the olive quick decline syndrome, which has been causing a phytosanitary and economic emergency in the Apulia region since 2013. To date, three insect species have been identified as pathogenic carriers of <i>X. fastidiosa</i>. With the advancement of the infection front, and the possibility of pathogenic insects being “hitchhiked” over long distances, the monitoring of the vectors of <i>X. fastidiosa</i> in the Italian regions bordering Apulia is an increasingly contingent issue for the rapid containment of the bacterium and the protection of the olive-growing heritage. Accordingly, the present research concerned the capture and recognition of the vector insects of <i>X. fastidiosa</i> in the upper Ionian coasts of Calabria (Italy) to evaluate the possible presence of the bacterium through molecular diagnostic techniques. The sampling allowed us to ascertain the presence of <i>Philaenus spumarius</i> and <i>Neophilaenus campestris</i> and their preferential distribution in olive groves and meadows, whereas all the 563 individuals tested negative for the pathogen.