The overall goal of the research program is to develop scientific knowledge on the pathogenicity, transmissibility and host susceptibility to the Xf strains recovered in the EU outbreaks, toward the implementation of tools for pest risk assessment, for prevention and reduction of the impact of the Xylella-induced diseases.

The topics of the research are:

To study the biology, genetics and pathogenicity of Xf strains. Molecular characterization of EU Xf genotypes coupled with biological tests on host range and analysis of ecological parameters will be essential in the development of quarantine, containment, and control practices.

Ecology and control of Xf vectors. The project will investigate the biological processes involved in insect vectoring and the use of innovative approaches to produce massive information for the development of novel bio-control tools.

Surveillance programs: tools for early detection and remote sensing approaches. The development of methodologies for rapid and sensitive bacterial detection is one of the main project task.

Epidemiology and risk assessment of Xf diseases. This approach complements the species distribution model, incorporating the temporal disease dynamics and mechanistic underpinning.

Innovative and sustainable strategies for the control of Xylella-induced diseases. The overall ambition is to develop long-term sustainability of cropping systems that protect the natural biodiversity and landscape environments throughout the entire EU territory.

Plant health management. An important ambition of the project is to contribute to the capacity building of the human resources involved at international and national level in the biosecurity plan.