REVIEW article
Front. Plant Sci.
Sec. Plant Pathogen Interactions
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpls.2025.1608687
This article is part of the Research TopicNon-chemical Strategies for Managing Plant Diseases and Abiotic StressesView all articles
Insight into biological strategies and main challenges to control the phytopathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa
Provisionally accepted
MARWA MOUROU
Giuseppe Incampo
Mariangela Carlucci
Davide Salamone
Stefania Pollastro
Francesco Faretra
Franco Nigro*- Section of Plant Pathology, Department of Soil, Plant, and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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Xylella fastidiosa is a xylem-restricted bacterium that can infect a wide range of host plants. The European Union classifies Xylella fastidiosa as a quarantine pathogen. Since its initial outbreak in the Apulia region of southern Italy in 2013, it has caused a severe disease in Olea europaea, known as olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS). Alarmingly, X. fastidiosa has continued to spread and establish itself in several European countries, including Spain, France, and Portugal. In response, researchers have conducted numerous studies to identify effective strategies for limiting the spread of the bacterium and its primary insect vector, Philaenus spumarius L. These efforts have explored a wide range of approaches, including sustainable treatments, biological control agents, plant breeding techniques, and vector management strategies. This review aims to summarize the current research landscape and highlights the potential for improved management of this significant phytopathogen. The ongoing threat posed by X. fastidiosa underscores critical challenges for the future of agriculture in Europe and beyond. Furthermore, we identify key areas that remain poorly understood and require further investigation to develop effective and reliable control measures for this pathogen.
Keywords: Olea europaea, Olive quick decline syndrome, xylem-bacterium, Biological approaches, challenging aspects
Received: 09 Apr 2025; Accepted: 02 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 MOUROU, Incampo, Carlucci, Salamone, Pollastro, Faretra and Nigro. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Franco Nigro, Section of Plant Pathology, Department of Soil, Plant, and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Science, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
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