Xylella: Is It Really New Case Boom?

    Xylella: Is It Really New Case Boom?

    Xylella in Puglia, there is still fear for the bacterium that has brought the centuries-old olive trees of Puglia to their knees. Last February, a new monitoring was carried out by ARIF, the regional agency for irrigation and forestry activities in the region, to complete the containment area and the free area not completed in December 2017



    He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him

    Xylella in Puglia, there is still fear for the bacterium that has brought the centuries-old olive trees of Puglia to their knees. Last February, a new monitoring was carried out by ARIF, the regional agency for irrigation and forestry activities in the region, to complete the containment area and the free area not completed in December 2017.



    The latest update was sent to the national service and also to the European commission, reporting data up to 23 March 2018. And here's what has changed.

    During the 2017-2018 campaign, 1.626 square kilometers of territory in the containment and buffer zones were examined with the collection and analysis of samples from 169.124 plants. Of these, 3.058 infected with Xylella were found to be infected.

    A slightly higher number than the provisional data, available as of 31 December 2017 when the infected olive trees were 2.980 out of a total of 125.345 samples analyzed. Although the number has grown, in reality, the rate of infected plants on the total of those examined has decreased from 2,3% to 1,8%. A small consolation but we cannot speak of a boom compared to last year.

    The Councilor for Agriculture Leonardo Di Gioia and the director of the department Gianluca Nardone are certain of this they said: "The phytosanitary service of the Puglia Region specifies that there is no boom in xylella cases, as the data show".

    Yet the numbers disclosed from Ansa, learned from experts of the Puglia region, they tell another story, with a higher growth than the 2924 outbreaks that were heard on March 23 thanks to a study released by the Xylella Phytosanitary Observatory.

    According to the data, the olive trees affected are quadruple compared to the previous 2 months, an increase compared to the 2251 recorded on 7 March last. As reported by Ansa, in the last year of Xylella controls and monitoring in Puglia, between 160 and 180 thousand samples were examined. In addition, about 800 infected plants were cut down in the containment area, that is the area that cuts the region in the Brindisi area, from the Adriatic to the Ionian, where only infected trees are eradicated.



    In general, in the last two years, compared to 325 samples analyzed, 1% of the plants were found to be infected. Yet, according to the numbers of the Observatory, in March the cases were much more numerous.

    Which are the areas with the most infected plants? The area between Oria and Francavilla in the Brindisi area enjoys this sad record with over 300 olive trees affected by Xylella.

    "The last 7 outbreaks ascertained are those of Ostuni (4), Cisternino (2) and Ceglie messapica (1), which led to the re-measurement of the buffer zone (between Fasano, Locorotondo and Cisternino) where, in addition to the infected trees, plants are eradicated guests within 100 meters of the outbreak. To the north of the buffer zone, everything is unscathed and the controls have now passed the province of Bari. The next annual monitoring campaign, which costs between 3 and 3,5 million euros, will start shortly and will again affect 1800 km. squares already monitored twice hectare per hectare ".

    Meanwhile, this morning a press conference was held by the Commander of the Forestry Carabinieri of the Puglia Command, General Giuseppe Silletti, in which the Xylella prevention and control campaign in the Apulian territory was presented, which was also attended by the director of the Regional Agriculture Department , Gianluca Nardone.

    The information activity will be handled by the Forestry Carabinieri and is aimed at helping farmers affected by bacteriosis, on the basis of the reference guidelines. provided by the Region in accordance with European decisions.

    “The information activity of the police will allow, as we hope, to minimize the unpreparedness of farmers who, by acting promptly, will be able to completely avoid the penalties that would add up to the already many damages caused by Xylella. Everyone's collaboration is needed: everyone is affected in his share by bacteriosis, by the effects it has on the production capacity of companies, and therefore on income. But we must not forget the commitment to the community that is also expressed with agricultural work in those areas already affected by bacteriosis " he said the councilor for agri-food resources of the Puglia Region, Leonardo di Gioia.



    After the information activity that will provide the reference guidelines both for companies affected by the emergency and for companies, from 1 May a repressive action lasting 45 days will begin against those who have not adapted.

    READ also:

    • Xylella: organic fertilizer arrives that could avoid the felling of diseased olive trees
    • Xylella, the killer of olive trees advances. Story of an underestimated environmental disaster
    • Xylella is the real cause of the death of the olive trees of Salento, word of EFSA

    Francesca Mancuso

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