Are the olive trees of Salento in danger because of the "killer bacterium" Xylella or because of the eradications that risk making an age-old heritage disappear? Volunteers and citizens of Salento unite to counter the emergency plans focused on the felling of the olive trees of Salento.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
- olive trees of Salento are in danger from the "killer bacterium" Xylella or for the eradications that risk making a secular heritage disappear? Volunteers and citizens of Salento unite to counter the emergency plans focused on the felling of the olive trees of Salento.
The eradication plans speak ofelimination of over 10 thousand olive trees. It is not just about eliminating diseased plants, but even healthy plants present in the vicinity that according to European indications could be infected by the bacterium.
According to many citizens and volunteers actually the Xylella problem would not exist. The real problem of plants would not be the "killer bacterium" itself but the phenomenon of rapid drying which also affects other plants. The desiccation of olive trees is linked to several factors, including the climate change and the impoverishment of soils due to the use of pesticides.
"Olive trees are not affected by Xylella, the problem is the so-called rapid drying which also affects other plants. This happens throughout Europe for various reasons: climate change, tracheomycotic fungi, soil depletion caused by pesticides "- said the President of the Salento Volunteer Service Center.
According to the volunteers of Salento, united to save the olive trees, Xylella has existed for about 130 years and it has been concluded that it cannot be eradicated. Volunteers also recall that research from the University of California has shown that Xylella does not cause trees to dry out because the olive tree has an extraordinary ability to defend itself from bacteria.
Is it therefore necessary to destroy a centuries-old heritage to protect the olive trees from drying out? The solution is cure, not killing. The olive growers of Salento in recent days they have already explained to have saved the olive trees by treating them with Bordeaux mixture, a remedy known for decades in agriculture that has proven to be successful in Salento. The plants treated in this way were saved, while the untreated olive trees would have died.
In the meantime theThe European Union has decided to allocate a fund to be allocated to damaged farmers from Xylella fastidiosa (or from the eradication of olive trees?). There is also talk of non-catastrophic effects caused by eradications and of an action aimed at protecting the agricultural heritage and the environment.
Too bad that the eradications they could touch to 30 thousand olive trees and other plants, even not affected by Xylella or desiccation, with the justification of the fear that healthy plants could be affected by the bacterium and on the pretext of stemming the infection. The EU has in fact initiated the eradication of healthy plants as well.
According to the latest news, eradications will take place and will not only concern infected olive trees. They will strike also all other plants within 100 meters in the areas of Puglia most affected by the presence of Xylella. In Salento, between Brindisi and Taranto, only the diseased plants will be cut and tests will be carried out on the other plants present in a range of 20 kilometers.
But elsewhere in Puglia healthy plants, olive trees and not, will also be eliminated. Farmers' associations demand that gods be carried out tests on plants before deciding to kill them. How will it end? Who will save Salento and its olive trees?
Marta Albè
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