Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BeXyl (Beyond Xylella, Integrated Management Strategies for Mitigating Xylella fastidiosa impact in Europe (BeXyl))
Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2024-02-29
Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is a “special observed” pathogen in the European Union, as it is one of the most detrimental priority plant pest threating EU agriculture, landscape and environments.
BeXyl´s final aim is to better tackle new Xf introductions in Europe and to develop and implement tailored Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies to mitigate the impacts of current Xf outbreaks, helping the agricultural and forestry sectors to remain productive and sustainable in the long-term.
The project workplan has been designed to address the research needs of farmers, nursery producers, risk managers and policy makers.
BeXyl pursue the following specific objectives:
1. Develop new knowledge and fill existing research gaps to understand the drivers of Xf introduction, including the effects of climate change.
2. Develop new strategies and improved methods for surveillance, early detection and monitoring of Xf and its vectors to better tackle new Xf introductions.
3. Develop non-chemical treatments for Xf in nursery stock to boost safe trade and market of plant propagating materials.
4. Facilitate outbreak area restoration through the characterization and exploitation of resistant genotypes in major EU-affected crops.
5. Develop innovative control solutions targeting insect vectors and Xf to increase plant resilience to infections.
6. Integrate effective control measures in IPM programs for the sustainable management of Xf in outbreak areas
7. Estimate the ecological, social and economic impacts of Xf establishment, spread and outbreak management approaches.
8. Promote dissemination and communication, technology transfer, public awareness and stakeholder engagement in tackling Xf outbreaks through plant health policies and the implementation of effective IPM programs.
BeXyl´s final aim is to better tackle new Xf introductions in Europe and to develop and implement tailored Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies to mitigate the impacts of current Xf outbreaks, helping the agricultural and forestry sectors to remain productive and sustainable in the long-term.
The project workplan has been designed to address the research needs of farmers, nursery producers, risk managers and policy makers.
BeXyl pursue the following specific objectives:
1. Develop new knowledge and fill existing research gaps to understand the drivers of Xf introduction, including the effects of climate change.
2. Develop new strategies and improved methods for surveillance, early detection and monitoring of Xf and its vectors to better tackle new Xf introductions.
3. Develop non-chemical treatments for Xf in nursery stock to boost safe trade and market of plant propagating materials.
4. Facilitate outbreak area restoration through the characterization and exploitation of resistant genotypes in major EU-affected crops.
5. Develop innovative control solutions targeting insect vectors and Xf to increase plant resilience to infections.
6. Integrate effective control measures in IPM programs for the sustainable management of Xf in outbreak areas
7. Estimate the ecological, social and economic impacts of Xf establishment, spread and outbreak management approaches.
8. Promote dissemination and communication, technology transfer, public awareness and stakeholder engagement in tackling Xf outbreaks through plant health policies and the implementation of effective IPM programs.
During the first Reporting Period, the BeXyl Project initiated the development of tools aimed at protecting crops and natural ecosystems from the adverse effects caused by Xf. This aligns with the specific outcomes requested by the HORIZON-CL6-2021-FARM2FORK-01-04 call, addressing the following impacts:
Impact 1. Enhance capacities to prevent, monitor, and find adequate responses to EU quarantine plant pests. Main achievements include:
- We have settled a network of sentinel plots and botanical gardens in Xf-infected areas to compile a dataset of information on the main drivers of Xf emergence and epidemics and we are charactering the biotic and abiotic factors that can contribute to increase the risk of Xf establishment and spread.
- Over 400 genomes of Xf have been obtained, which will assist in identifying traits linked to climate and host adaptation.
- We have developed risk-based surveillance strategies by calibrating demographic and genetic propagation models, along with optimizing statistical designs for surveillance of Xf and its vectors.
- A prototype of a black light trap was developed and field-tested for monitoring insect vectors of Xf.
- Novel diagnostic approaches (LAMP, digital PCR, and HTS) have been evaluated and developed for their ability to rapidly and accurately identify infected plants and vectors, as well as to characterize the genetic profile of Xf.
- We have progressed in characterizing plant phenotyping traits to establish indicators capable of differentiating the early stage of Xf infections, and designed an in-house built phenotyping platform.
- The development of a global model for Xf detection and monitoring across different crops using remote sensing technology is in progress.
- The use of canine olfactory detection of Xf with dogs has shown promising results, reaching acceptable values for diagnostic tests.
- The effect of thermal treatments (TT) is being addressed to develop guidelines for plant propagating materials for the safe exchange and trade of plants.
Impact 2. Enhance capacities to (bio)control important plant pests. Main achievements include:
1. Selecting and developing resistant plants in key crop plants:
- We have conducted large and medium-scale screening activities to identify new sources of resistance to X. fastidiosa in multiple crop species (olive, almonds, grapevines).
- BeXyl has studied the transcriptional response of olive trees to infection, developing a system for olive genetic transformation, and olive progenies that will facilitate mapping of QTLs linked with Xf resistance and select genotypes to be used in breeding programs.
2. Develop efficient and sustainable IPM schemes based on multiple environmentally sound solutions:
- Different biological tools are being tested to control the spittlebug vectors of Xf (including entomopathogenic fungi and parasitoids) and to reduce transmission efficiency. We are also testing ground cover management as a tool to reduce vector populations.
- A collection of hundreds of culturable xylem-inhabiting bacteria are being tested in vitro, to select the most effective antagonists of Xf to the design of synthetic bacterial communities (SynComs) against Xf.
- Different biopesticides against Xf based on functional peptides, antimicrobial glasses and glass-ceramics, plant extracts and phage cocktails have been tested in vitro, with some of them showing high effectivity and being selected as candidates for testing their efficacy in plants.
Impact 1. Enhance capacities to prevent, monitor, and find adequate responses to EU quarantine plant pests. Main achievements include:
- We have settled a network of sentinel plots and botanical gardens in Xf-infected areas to compile a dataset of information on the main drivers of Xf emergence and epidemics and we are charactering the biotic and abiotic factors that can contribute to increase the risk of Xf establishment and spread.
- Over 400 genomes of Xf have been obtained, which will assist in identifying traits linked to climate and host adaptation.
- We have developed risk-based surveillance strategies by calibrating demographic and genetic propagation models, along with optimizing statistical designs for surveillance of Xf and its vectors.
- A prototype of a black light trap was developed and field-tested for monitoring insect vectors of Xf.
- Novel diagnostic approaches (LAMP, digital PCR, and HTS) have been evaluated and developed for their ability to rapidly and accurately identify infected plants and vectors, as well as to characterize the genetic profile of Xf.
- We have progressed in characterizing plant phenotyping traits to establish indicators capable of differentiating the early stage of Xf infections, and designed an in-house built phenotyping platform.
- The development of a global model for Xf detection and monitoring across different crops using remote sensing technology is in progress.
- The use of canine olfactory detection of Xf with dogs has shown promising results, reaching acceptable values for diagnostic tests.
- The effect of thermal treatments (TT) is being addressed to develop guidelines for plant propagating materials for the safe exchange and trade of plants.
Impact 2. Enhance capacities to (bio)control important plant pests. Main achievements include:
1. Selecting and developing resistant plants in key crop plants:
- We have conducted large and medium-scale screening activities to identify new sources of resistance to X. fastidiosa in multiple crop species (olive, almonds, grapevines).
- BeXyl has studied the transcriptional response of olive trees to infection, developing a system for olive genetic transformation, and olive progenies that will facilitate mapping of QTLs linked with Xf resistance and select genotypes to be used in breeding programs.
2. Develop efficient and sustainable IPM schemes based on multiple environmentally sound solutions:
- Different biological tools are being tested to control the spittlebug vectors of Xf (including entomopathogenic fungi and parasitoids) and to reduce transmission efficiency. We are also testing ground cover management as a tool to reduce vector populations.
- A collection of hundreds of culturable xylem-inhabiting bacteria are being tested in vitro, to select the most effective antagonists of Xf to the design of synthetic bacterial communities (SynComs) against Xf.
- Different biopesticides against Xf based on functional peptides, antimicrobial glasses and glass-ceramics, plant extracts and phage cocktails have been tested in vitro, with some of them showing high effectivity and being selected as candidates for testing their efficacy in plants.
BeXyl is expected to:
• Aggregate biological information obtained across a diverse range of latitudes and environmental conditions to identify critical factors favouring Xf establishment and spread, considering climate change scenarios. This effort aims to gather data on crop resilience under various inoculum levels, management practices, and climatic conditions.
• Establish a multi-stakeholder community, from end-users to policymakers, deciding on which IPM solutions are best while promoting their full adoption, testing and implementation in the long term.
• Broad dissemination of solutions from the diagnostic laboratory, to nurseries and farms, thanks to different types of research tasks, including IPM decision support systems and guidelines tailored to infected and non-infected areas.
• Aggregate biological information obtained across a diverse range of latitudes and environmental conditions to identify critical factors favouring Xf establishment and spread, considering climate change scenarios. This effort aims to gather data on crop resilience under various inoculum levels, management practices, and climatic conditions.
• Establish a multi-stakeholder community, from end-users to policymakers, deciding on which IPM solutions are best while promoting their full adoption, testing and implementation in the long term.
• Broad dissemination of solutions from the diagnostic laboratory, to nurseries and farms, thanks to different types of research tasks, including IPM decision support systems and guidelines tailored to infected and non-infected areas.