Xylella fastidiosa eradicated from Switzerland
In Switzerland, Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A1 List) was detected for the first time in September 2015 in 4 asymptomatic Coffea plants (EPPO RS 2015/181). These plants were detained under glasshouse conditions in 1 tropical plant centre (canton of Lucerne) and in 1 garden centre (canton of Zürich). All infected Coffea plants were immediately destroyed. As a consequence, no demarcated area was established but an exhaustive botanical inventory was made. Potential host plants of the bacterium were intensively tested, and all results were negative. In addition, traps were installed to monitor potential vectors over a period of 2 years. Altogether, only a few individuals of species belonging to the family Cicadellidae were caught. All specimens were tested by PCR, but none of these insects was found to be positive for X. fastidiosa. It was therefore concluded that the bacterium has not been able to establish and spread. As X. fastidiosa has not been detected since these isolated findings in 2015, the NPPO of Switzerland concluded that the bacterium has been successfully eradicated from its territory.
The pest status of Xylella fastidiosa in Switzerland is officially declared as: Absent, pest eradicated.
Sources
NPPO of Switzerland (2018-01).