AreaEuropean Union

Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals

CommodityOlive tree

Date18/07/2018

Policy CategoryOther

Policy InstrumentDisease control

DescriptionDeveloped a remote, airborne imaging method capable of scanning orchards and detecting olive trees infected by the xylella fastidiosa bacterium before visible symptoms appear.

NotesA group of researchers supported by the European Commission developed a remote, airborne imaging method capable of scanning orchards and detecting olive trees infected by the xylella fastidiosa bacterium before any visible symptoms appear, thus allowing for rapid and accurate mapping of infected plants. Reportedly, once trees are infected, they may show no symptoms for up to one year, during which time ordinary sap-feeding insects may be transmitting the infection. Therefore, early detection is deemed crucial for controlling damage and preventing the disease from spreading.