Update of the Xylella spp. host plant database – systematic literature search up to 30 June 2023

Abstract

This scientific report provides an update of the Xylella spp. host plant database, aiming to provide information and scientific support to risk assessors, risk managers and researchers dealing with Xylella spp. Upon a mandate of the European Commission, EFSA created and regularly updates a database of host plant species of Xylella spp. The current mandate covers the period 2021-2026. This report is related to the ninth version of the database published in Zenodo in the EFSA Knowledge Junction community, covering literature published from 1 January 2023 up to 30 June 2023, and recent Europhyt outbreak notifications. Informative data have been extracted from 47 selected publications. Seven new host plants were identified and added to the database. These plant species were naturally infected by X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex in France, Spain and the United States. No additional data were retrieved for X. taiwanensis, and no additional multilocus sequence tipes (STs) were identified worldwide. New information on the tolerant/ resistant response of plant species to X. fastidiosa infection were added to the database. The Xylella spp. host plant species were listed in different categories based on the number and type of detection methods applied for each finding. The overall number of Xylella spp. host plants determined with at least two different detection methods or positive with one method (between sequencing and pure culture isolation (category A), reaches now 439 plant species, 200 genera and 69 families. Such numbers rise to 696 plant species, 307 genera and 88 families if considered regardless of the detection methods applied (category E).

Prunus dulcis response to novel defense elicitor peptides and control of Xylella fastidiosa infections

“…Xylella fastidiosa is a plant pathogen which poses a great threat to the agricultural economy of the Mediterranean region, with almond being one of the most affected crops. Up to now, no strategy to completely cure infected plants has been found (Rapicavoli et al 2018a ; Sánchez et al 2019 ; Saponari et al 2019 ; Gibin et al 2023 ). In the present work, we have identified peptides able to elicit defense responses of almond plants and demonstrated their capacity to control ALS caused by X. fastidiosa .…”

“…Xylella fastidiosa is a Gram-negative, aerobic, xylem-limited bacterium responsible for several plant diseases such as Pierce’s disease, citrus variegated chlorosis, and almond leaf scorch (ALS), and is a great threat to the agriculture worldwide (Wells et al 1987 ; Alston et al 2013 ; Purcell 2013 ; Rapicavoli et al 2018a ). This pathogen has been detected in the EU territories and is currently spreading through the Mediterranean region, threatening the agricultural economy of global producers of olives, citrus, almonds, and grapes (Strona et al 2017 ; Saponari et al 2019 ; Gibin et al 2023 ). In fact, the potential economic losses associated with the full spread of X. fastidiosa in the EU amount to an average of 5.5 billion euros per year and has been ranked as a priority quarantine pathogen in the area (Sánchez et al 2019 ).…”

Complete Circularized Genome Resources for Xylella fastidiosa subsp. sandyi Strains CO33 and CFBP8478

“…Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a quarantine plant phytopathogenic bacterium in Europe where is causing epidemics in agricultural crops and plants from the natural environment (EFSA et al, 2023). Three Xf subspecies and 90 Sequence Types (STs) typified by using MultiLocus Sequence Analysis (MLST) (Nunney et al, 2010), have been officially described to date worldwide (fastidiosa, multiplex and pauca) (Jolley et al 2018;Nunney et al 2013;Schaad et al 2004); and two more subspecies have been proposed (morus and sandyi) (Schuenzel et al, 2005;Nunney et al, 2014).…”

“…In France, a single Polygala myrtifolia plant in Corsica was found infected by Xf subsp. sandyi ST76 in 2015 (Denancé et al, 2019;EFSA et al, 2023). However, between 2014 and until 2018, there have been several andsubsp.…”

“…However, between 2014 and until 2018, there have been several andsubsp. sandyi ST72 andST76 (Bergsma-Vlami et al, 2015, 2017;Giampetruzzi et al, 2015;Jacques et al, 2016;Loconsole et al, 2016;Denancé et al, 2017;EFSA et al, 2023). approach to obtain high-quality complete genomes of these two strains, increasing the number of genomes corresponding to this subspecies.…”