Verticillium wilt is a soil-borne fungus disease caused by the organism (Verticillium dahliae). It is one of the most serious diseases of olive trees worldwide because it can kill trees and is difficult or impossible to control. The presence of high levels of certain strains of Verticillium in soil eff ectively renders the land unusable for olive growing. Symptoms appear as wilting, leaf rolling, chlorosis, defoliation, and dead brown leavesremaining attached to the branches. On large trees, one or more branches suddenly wilt early in the growing season. Disease generally becomes worse as the seasonprogresses. Yield from infected trees is poor. On very young trees, the whole tree begins to look pale and stops growing. The leaves wilt and the tree may die. Darkening of xylem tissue does not occur in olive wood as it does in other species. The most common symptom on all Verticillium infected trees is chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves) followed by defoliation. In some cases, very susceptible cultivars defoliate without leaf chlorosis. Sudden wilt, leaf rolling, and chlorosis is sometimes observed at the same time.
The cultivation and planting of new olive trees (the most susceptible ones) is rising as a consequence of a growing olive oil demand from consumers worldwide due to its health and culinary properties. This together with the lack of profitability in extensive crops like wheat or barley due to increasing draught, makes it urgent to find safe solutions to increase production.
This project aims to validate with olive growers the demand for a solution, how and when it must be applied and its economics, and a profitability plan to make available accessible to the growers, including the business model to make the technology profitable along the whole value chain.
