afechtal, m. regional center of kenitra - national institute for agricultural research (inra) - laboratory of virology, route de sidi yahya du gharb, Kenitra, Morocco , ait friha, a. regional direction of casablanca-settat, plant protection service of el jadida - national office for food safety (onssa), El Jadida, morocco , bibi, i. regional center of kenitra - national institute for agricultural research (inra) - laboratory of virology, route de sidi yahya du gharb, Kenitra, Morocco

A preliminary survey on the presence of Xylella fastidiosa in olive, citrus and grapevine groves in Morocco

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The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is gram negative, xylem-inhabiting, devastating pathogen which causes various diseases on morethan 300 plant hosts. Given the recent confirmed findings of X. fastidiosa in the European Union, this bacterium is becoming aserious threat to the Moroccan agricultural sector. A survey was conducted during May-September 2015 on the presence of X.fastidiosa in several commercial groves, covering olive, citrus and grapevine growing areas. In a few trees, severe symptomswhich could be associated to the bacterium were observed. A total of 900 samples of different crops from different regions wererandomly collected: 220 olive trees (cv. Picholine Marocaine) from two regions, 410 citrus trees belonging to 7 different cultivarscollected in 4 regions and 270 grapevine plants belonging to 6 different cultivars from 3 regions; all these samples were tested forthe presence of X. fastidiosa by using an ELISA commercial kit. The obtained results did not show any positive sample. Thesepreliminary results are taken as an encouraging indication, considering that X. fastidiosa was not found in Morocco, at least inthe surveyed crops. However, frequent extensive surveys in different regions are needed to prevent its entrance into the country.

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Morocco , Xylella fastidiosa , survey , olive , citrus , grapevine , ELISA

Revue Marocaine des Sciences Agronomiques et Vétérinaires

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