5th European Conference on Xylella fastidiosa: science drives progress towards sustainable management

The fifth European Conference on Xylella fastidiosa was held in Mola di Bari, Italy, bringing together approximately 400 researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe. The conference confirmed that research on this highly damaging plant pathogen has reached a new level of maturity with concrete results in olive resistance, biological control, vector management, and surveillance. Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca was first identified over a decade ago as the cause of olive quick decline syndrome, which devastated ancient olive groves in Apulia. The conference covered genomic and molecular bases of resistance, long-term field studies, and novel approaches including genome editing and microbiome analysis. EFSA plans to publish an updated pest risk assessment for Xylella fastidiosa in the EU by the end of 2026.