What is known about the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa? 
T. It is a bacterium with pathogenic potential that has transmitted diseases in a variety of wild plants and crops, especially ligneous ones. It has alarmed all of Europe since its detection in 2013 in italian olive groves, infecting more than 1 million olive trees.
It is a dangerous plague that has already caused ravages in other European countries and is beginning to take steps in Spain, while we still can not control it effectively. So far it has been detected in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, among others.
We know that it can easily be extended to countries with a similar climate. Preliminary research shows that climates with mild winters are especially vulnerable to the proliferation of the pathogen, so climate change will also increase the risk.
What is the protocol when it is detected in a crop?
T. Among the current measures that are carried out when an outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa appears there is the eradication of infected and surrounding vegetation. As we see, in addition to a large environmental impact, Xylella fastidiosa is an economic risk, since it puts at risk millions of euros from these crops.
For this reason we launched Life Resilience, co-financed by the European Union in the LIFE Program, whom considers Xylella fastidiosa as one of the most dangerous quarantine organisms for its great facility to spread.
To avoid this, the Life Resilience project mainly works in two ways. On one hand, we are working on developing genotypes of plants that tolerate this bacterium and that are also productive and economically profitable. On the other hand, we are working on applying and innovating in natural methods of vector control that contribute to prevent the spread of the bacteria and increase the resilience of the system of these crops in case of outbreaks.
In which lines are you working on Life Resilience project?
T. The project has two different objectives. On one hand, the development of new olive varieties tolerant to Xylella fastidiosa and, on the other hand, the development of a model of good practices to try to make a resistant plant.
At first we have worked with three demonstration farms in Portugal, Spain and Italy and we have done the irrigation control in the farms, analyzing their level of water stress.The most visible symptoms of Xylella fastidiosa are tree drying and decay, caused by an inappropriate irrigation.
On the other hand, we are using biostimulants and biofertilizers to guarantee the health of the plant and make it more resistant to the incidence of any pathogen. And, in addition, work is being done on cover crops, hedges and boundaries to control the biodiversity of the farms and the vector insect.
Which are the organizations that take part in the project?
T. Life Resilience is made up of nine partners from Spain, Portugal and Italy. It is a multidisciplinary group that allows us to have specialized but different partners, that complement with each other when doing the work.
In our country, in addition to Galpagro, we have the University of Córdoba, responsible for the generation of new genotypes resistant to Xylella fastidiosa; Agrodrone, dedicated to precision agriculture; ASAJA, the Agricultural Association of Young Farmers; and Agrifood Comunicación, a communication company specialized in the agri-food sector.
In Italy, we have the participation of IVALSA, Istituto per la Valorizzazione del Legno e delle Specie Arboree del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; and SALOV, Società Agricola F.Lli Fontana, olive oil producer.
From Portugal, participates Nutriprado, a company specialized in the development of hybrids of leguminous plants; and Sociedade Agrícola Herdade do Charqueirao (SAHC), an association dedicated to the cultivation of almonds, olives and pistachios.
Which actions are being carried out?
T. To achieve the two objectives we have already mentioned, we are evaluating and crossing olive varieties resistant to pathogens as tolerant options in potentially infected areas or at risk of being infected, minimizing the risk of losses due to Xylella fastidiosa and other pathogens.
We are also applying the best sustainable practices and technologies for the intensive Mediterranean olive grove and almond production systems, on 250 hectares in Spain, Italy and Portugal, with the aim of reducing water consumption and carbon footprint, and increasing biodiversity and resistance to pests and pathogens without compromising performance.
With all this, we will create a replicable model of best practices for olive, almond and other woody crops, such as citrus and grapevines in Europe, increasing their capacity to adapt to climate change and future epidemics and that will be replicated in 2500 hectares during the project . For this, we will involve multidisciplinary actors through transnational collaboration among our partners.