Potential alternative woody plants for the renewal of "post-xylella" agriculture in Salento (Italy)

Since its first discovery in 2013, the epidemic of Xylella fastidiosa subps. pauca ST53 in few years devastated the olive orchards of 3 provinces in Salento (Puglia, Italy) causing huge economic, landscape and environmental problems as well raising the need to rebuild the main and almost unique arboreous coverage, increasing biodiversity and resilience of the agro- ecosystem. The identification/evaluation of alternative woody agricultural and agro-forestry crops/species, both native and potentially adaptable to the soil/climatic conditions of Salento, is the starting point to regenerate and reconvert the future agriculture living together the bacterium. In the framework of a wider national project, the research is aimed to study the main aspects of alternative plants in term of agronomic requirements, characteristics, cultivation, protection, uses, investments and market. The information will be available as a "reasoned catalogue" that draws data/info from bibliographical research, specialist consulting, small farming experiences and pilot projects intercepted in the infected area. Furthermore, for the species not present in Salento, pathogenicity tests will be carried out, by controlled artificial/vector inoculation and periodic qPCR analyses, to verify their immunity or the level of resistance of the selected species. The results are addressed to producers/technicians to guide investments or pilot field trials as well to policy makers to plan strategies and funding measures.