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CROP PROTECTION

IDENTIFIED A NATURAL SOLUTION AGAINST

XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA, ONE OF THE DISEASES THAT

MOST WORRIES AGRICULTURE

Worldwide, Xylella fastidiosa is con- alone, this pest causes $ 104 million ment in Plant Health (CIDSAV) of the
sidered one of the main threats to agri- worth of damage per year. University of Girona, directed by Dr.
culture. It is a bacterium responsible for In Europe, where it has been present Emilio Montesinos.
the general wilting or decay, in some in localized foci since 2013, the risk of This study has focused on determin-
more acute cases of the dry leaves and this disease spreading is very high, ing and confirming the efficacy of the
branches and, finally, the death of the given its climatic conditions. Hence, product against different subspecies
whole plant. Until now, the only control it is considered within the European of Xylella fastidiosa, establishing its
measures to prevent its spread are the Union as a priority quarantine pest by mode of action, as well as the appli-
demarcation of the area where its pres- the European and Mediterranean Plant cation protocols from “in vitro” to field
ence is detected and the eradication Protection Organization (EPPO). application.
of the affected crop.
According to a study by the University
However, these actions have not of Wageningen (Holland), the Institute
prevented the spread of this bacterium of Sustainable Agriculture of the CSIC
worldwide, with the social and econom- (Spain) and the Valencian Institute of
ic impact that this entails. Hence the Agrarian Research (IVIA-Spain), based
urgent need to have effective solutions on a bioeconomic model, it concludes
for its control. that, in the absence of measures of con-
trol, the spread of the disease in the
olive grove sector would mean eco-
nomic losses of billions of euros over
a horizon of 50 years.
According to these models, the
spread of the disease in Italy alone
would have an economic impact of
up to 5,200 million euros. Replanting In addition, LAINCO has carried out
with resistant varieties would reduce numerous efficacy trials in the field with
this impact to 1,600 million euros, while this natural solution against other bac-
reducing the speed of spread of the terial diseases, with good results for
A natural solution that comes after disease with control measures would the control of Pseudomonas syringae
more than five years of work by the save 1,300 million euros. On the other in kiwi and tomato, Xanthomonas arbo-
Development Department hand, the introduction and subsequent ricola in stone fruit trees. and almond
of LAINCO, in collaboration with the expansion of the disease in Greece and and Erwinia amylovora in pear.
Center for Innovation and Develop- Spain would imply an economic impact It is a natural curative and preventive
ment in Plant Health (CIDSAV) of the of up to 2,000 and 17,000 million euros, solution, easy to apply, totally respect-
University of Girona, for the effective respectively. ful of plant matter and auxiliary fauna,
control and prevention of Xylella fas- with a stable composition at high con-
tidiosa, as well as for other bacterial More than five years of centrations and room temperature, and
diseases such as those caused by Pseu- research highly effective in preventing bacterial
domonas syringae in kiwi or tomato, infections.
Xanthomonas arboricola in stone and The Spanish company specialized Currently, LAINCO has just received
almond fruit or Erwinia amylovora in in the research, development and the patent for this natural solution in
pear. manufacture of crop protection solu- Spain for its use as a bactericide, and
tions LAINCO began in 2016 to work the patent will be extended worldwide
Economic impact of on the search for natural solutions for in the coming months.
the control of bacterial diseases, given
Xylella the problems that Xylella fastidiosa and In 2022, LAINCO will begin to work
Already present in quite extensive ar- the main strains identified could cause. on the registration processes for ap-
eas of the American continent, from the in agriculture worldwide. proval in the United States and the
US to Argentina, the Middle East, Asia Based on the study of the properties European Union, while in some South
and Europe, this bacterium is causing of some essential oils with which LAIN- American countries these procedures
significant losses in crops with great CO was already working, the R + D + i have already begun. Once these regis-
economic impact, such as vine, olive, Department began testing eucalyptus tration processes have been complet-
stone fruit trees, mainly almond and essential oil against Xylella fastidiosa, ed, this solution is called upon to lead
citrus trees, although more than 300 achieving excellent results and initiat- LAINCO’s BIOcontrol product catalog
host species have been identified. It is ing a collaboration protocol with the and of course, it is expected to be a
estimated that in California viticulture Center for Innovation and Develop- highly useful tool at a global level.

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