Metrosideros excelsa added to the EU list of plants found susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa

Metrosideros excelsa Sol. ex Gaertn., commonly known as “New Zealand Christmas tree”, a coastal evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that produces a brilliant display of red flowers, has been recently found susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex, in the European Union territory.

According to this new finding, the EC Directorate General for Health and Food Safety has released, on April 18, 2016, the third update of the Commission database gathering all the host plants found to be susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa in the EU countries.

Metrosideros excelsa has been added to the growing list of host plants referred to in Article 1(b) of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/2417 of 17 December 2015, which have been found to be susceptible to Xylella fastidiosa in the Union territory, or, where a Member State has demarcated an area with regard to only one or more subspecies of Xylella fastidiosa pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 4(1) of that Decision, as having been found to be susceptible to that or those subspecies.

After last update, the list is currently including 21 host species susceptible to X. fastidiosa subsp. multiplex, 22 susceptible to X. fastidiosa subsp. pauca, and one species, namely coffee, found susceptible to several X. fastidiosa subspecies.

 

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