Xylella fastidiosa is a vector-transmitted bacterial plant pathogen associated with serious diseases in a wide range of plants. It causes citrus variegated chlorosis, olive quick decline syndrome, grapevine Pierce’s disease, phony peach disease, almond leaf scorch and various other leaf scorch diseases. X. fastidiosa is endemic in the Americas and it was detected in the European Union for the first time in 2013, with an outbreak on olive trees in Southern Italy. Since then it has also been reported as present in France, Portugal and Spain.

X. fastidiosa has a broad range of host plants, including many crops and common wild plants. Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to create and regularly update a database of host plant species of Xylella spp., including X. fastidiosa and X. taiwanensis. In 2018, EFSA released a comprehensive database of host plants of Xylella spp., which was updated in April 2020. This database can be accessed as raw data on Knowledge Junction (the EFSA’s open repository on Zenodo), or as a series of interactive reports. Currently, the total number of Xylella spp. host plants reaches 595 plant species belonging to 275 genera and 85 families; this falls to 343 plant species (belonging to 163 genera and 64 families) when considering only those host plants confirmed using two detection methods.

This webinar will explain the structure and features of the EFSA database on Xylella spp. host plants. It is being held as part of EFSA’s contributions to the International Year of Plant Health.

During the webinar, participants may submit questions which EFSA will answer orally and in writing after the presentation. EFSA will publish a recording of the webinar.

Registration open. Deadline for registration: 25 September 2020.