Olive Tree Blight In Italy
But the quantity of olive oil made in the south of italy has been in sharp decline.
Olive tree blight in italy. Agriculture europe food italy plants. Olive tree blight in italy threatens mainland europe. The growing problem of xylella and a resulting disease known as olive quick decline oqd has been catastrophic in italy and other countries in southern europe where it has wiped out many ancient olive groves. Farmer ciccio manelli 81 fears for the future of his still healthy ancient olive trees.
An olive tree infected with xylella fastidiosa is the sole survivor in what remains of an orchard in the countryside near ostuni in the puglia region of italy. Infected olive trees cut down in the italian town of gallipoli near lecce afp getty images a deadly plant disease affecting olive trees across europe could cause losses of more than 20bn over. It has become closely associated with olives after a strain was discovered in trees in puglia in italy in 2013. Ciccio manelli 81 who owns hundreds of ancient olive trees in the southern italian province of brindisi.
A deadly disease estimated to have killed a million olive trees in italy has spread to france. Until the olive trees fell ill xylella had never been seen in europe and its identification in italy set off alarm bells across the scientific and political communities of the european union. The french agriculture ministry announced the discovery of the bacterium xylella fastidiosa known as. 11 mil lion met ric tons of olives are pro duced each year in the region account ing for 1 3 of the national crop mak ing it italy s most impor tant olive oil pro duc ing region.
Cain burdeau courthouse news service. Olive tree xylella disease has wreaked havoc on the olive industry. It can infect cherry almond and plum trees as well as olives.