The spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) is the predominant vector of Xylella fastidiosa (Xanthomonadales: Xanthomonadaceae) in Apulia, Italy and the rest of Europe. Current control strategies of the insect vector rely on...
Publications
Keywords
Ten Challenges to Understanding and Managing the Insect-Transmitted, Xylem-Limited Bacterial Pathogen Xylella fastidiosa
An unprecedented plant health emergency in olives has been registered over the last decade in Italy, arguably more severe than what occurred repeatedly in grapes in the United States in the last 140 years. These emergencies are epidemics caused by a stealthy pathogen,...
A model for predicting the phenology of Philaenus spumarius
The design and implementation of Philaenus spumarius control strategies can take advantage of properly calibrated models describing and predicting the phenology of vector populations in agroecosystems. We developed a temperature-driven physiological-based...
Complete circularized genome resources for Xylella fastidiosa subsp. sandyi strains CO33 and CFBP8478
Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a vascular phytopathogenic bacterium native to the Americas, known for causing severe diseases and significant economic losses in important crops. In Europe, Xf is considered a quarantine pathogen. Since its first detection in 2013 in Italy,...
An Individual-Based Spatial Epidemiological Model for the Spread of Plant Diseases
In the study of plant disease epidemics, the state of each individual in the population and their spatial location should be considered when modeling disease spread. We present a model to describe the spread of plant diseases, where the infection of a susceptible...
Complete genome assemblies of several Xylella fastidiosa subspecies multiplex strains reveals high phage content and novel plasmids
The Gram-negative bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) was originally found in the Americas, but has now been identified in more than 20 countries across America, Asia, and Europe. This plant pathogen is currently listed as a priority pest in Europe due to its...
A survey of Xylella fastidiosa in the US state of Virginia reveals wide distribution of both subspecies fastidiosa and multiplex in grapevine
Global travel and trade in combination with climate change are expanding the geographic distribution of plant pathogens. The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is a prime example. Native to the Americas, it has spread to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. To assess the risk...
A high-throughput analysis of high-resolution X-ray CT images of stems of olive and citrus plants resistant and susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa
The bacterial plant pathogen Xylella fastidiosa causes disease in several globally important crops. However, some cultivars harbour reduced bacterial loads and express few symptoms. Evidence considering plant species in isolation suggests xylem structure influences...
