EUPHRESCO network releases the final report of the PROMODE Project on monitoring and detection of Xylella fastidiosa
As a high profile pest, Xylella fastidiosa has mobilised important national, European and international resources in the last years. Within this context, the Euphresco network has recently released the final report of the Project 2015-F-146 ‘Harmonized protocol for monitoring and detection of Xylella fastidiosa in its host plants and its vectors (PROMODE)‘.
This operational synergy has been achieved based on the interlaboratory comparisons that are the core activities of the Euphresco project, and that have been led by Maria Saponari (CNR) and Valérie Olivier (ANSES).
A number of recommendations useful to diagnostic activities have been provided in the report. They have been considered for the revision(s) of the EPPO Diagnostic Protocol PM 7/24 on Xylella fastidiosa. The complexity of the infections caused by this quarantine pathogen still requires efforts in supporting early and sensitive detection approaches. To this end, more research is needed to better estimate the threshold of detectability in asymptomatic hosts and to better define the latency period in relation to the numerous host species and bacterial strains.
