Possible 'vaccine' for deadly plant bacteria

Scientists may have found a permanent cure for a deadly bacteria affecting almond trees in Alicante province, which also kills grapevines, orange and lemon trees, olive trees.

The Xylella Fastidiosa, otherwise known as ‘Pierce’s Grapevine Disease’ causes scorched leaves and eventually leads to infected shrubs and trees withering and dying. It is one of the biggest threats to the pinkblossomed orchards of Alcalalí’s and Jalón’s nationallyfamous ‘almond route’, as well as many other areas of the province. But researchers at the Montgó science station in Denia and at Alicante university think they may have found a panacea after four years of intensive investigation. Dr Francis Mojica, who was pipped at the post for a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2020 in recognition of his discovery of the CRISPR ‘genetic repair’ system, leads the team which has identified active molecules, known as endolisines, that could be used in a future vaccine. It would work in a similar way to human or animal vaccination or antibiotics, by injecting a deactivated or live attenuated bacteria into the plant or tree so that their immune systems build up the antibodies needed to fight off the real bacteria if they became infected. Huge swathes of the Vall de Pop live off farming almond trees and grapes for wine, as well as olives and, of course, oranges, and the Alcalalí-Jalón area has been one of the worst-hit by the xylella bacteria.

The Marina Alta as a whole has suffered some of the biggest annual losses in the past year in the region’s farming industry as a result of the bacteria. A cure for the Pierce’s Grapevine disease would also be welcome in other European countries.