Isolation, genotype and preliminary data on the pathogenicity of Xylella fastidiosa CoDiRO strain

The Olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) represents the first outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) in Europe. Disease symptoms include extensive leaf scorching and branch dieback, discolouration of the vascular system and a generalized progressive decline that leads the plants to death. To determine the role of Xf in the OQDS aetiology, pure cultures of the local bacterial strain (CoDiRO) were obtained and used in greenhouse pathogenicity tests. Axenic cultures were readily established from oleander and periwinkle, whereas initial attempts to isolate Xf from infected olives failed due to the heavy contamination by bacteria other than Xf.