Plant response to pathogen challenge involves recognition by specific receptors of conserved molecular patterns associated with pathogenic organisms. Understanding a wider range of pathogen detection pathways in different plant species is valuable for identification and development of pathogen-resistant plant material. Xylella fastidiosa is an important bacterial pathogen of several agricultural crops including table and wine grapes. Although some pathogen recognition pathways have been identified for X. fastidiosa in host plants, there are likely several other molecular interactions that could be exploited to increase plant resistance to this pathogen. This study identified a conserved bacterial cold shock protein component (Xfcsp20) as an elicitor of reactive oxygen species production by Vitis vinifera plant tissue, an indication of pathogen recognition response. Characterization of Xfcsp20 as an elicitor of an oxidative burst in grapevine hosts of X. fastidiosa will be useful to continued work in the areas of bacterial-plant interactions and plant resistance. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license .