Spontaneous Plants Research Articles

Three years of phytostabilisation experiment of bare acidic soil extremely contaminated by copper smelting using plant biodiversity of metal-rich soils in tropical Africa (Katanga, DR Congo)

Copper smelting has created large surfaces of bare soil contaminated by trace metals (TMs: e.g., total Cu: 42,500mgkg−1 in bare soil vs. 220mgkg−1 in remote forest) in the Lubumbashi suburbs of the ‘Cité Gécamines/Penga Penga’ (Katanga, D.R. Congo). Human exposure to trace metals at the site has become a primary environmental concern. This study evaluated different strategies (spontaneous and assisted phytostabilisation) to promote plant establishment on bare soil at the contamination site for soil reclamation/remediation. First, soil chemical properties were assessed in three vegetation units (bare soil, metallophytic grassland patches, and termite mounds). Results showed lower nutrients, organic matter content, and pH in bare soil; however increased metal concentrations were not detected. Limestone (0, 2.5, 5, and 10tha−1) and compost (0, 45, and 225tha−1) were applied in a factorial design. Plant establishment was monitored for three years; and leaf TM concentration was assessed during the third year. Soil amendments improved bare soil conditions (higher pH and nutrients and lower TMs), and facilitated spontaneous plant establishment, with compost exhibiting the largest positive effects. Colonisers were primarily annual species; either true metallophytes or weedy taxa, which were sporadically present at the study site. However, only the perennial Microchloa altera survived during the 6-month dry season. Following three years of phytostabilisation experiment with M. altera by planting, substantial growth and high survival was observed in M. altera. A combination of soil amendments (lime and compost) was most effective to improve plant fecundity, and reduce metal uptake by leaves. Our results show promise for reclamation of bare soil contaminated by the mining industry in tropical climate.

Cobalt, chromium and nickel contents in soils and plants from a serpentinite quarry

Abstract. The former serpentinite quarry of Penas Albas (Moeche, Galicia, NW Spain) left behind a large amount of waste material scattered over the surrounding area, as well as tailing areas. In this area several soils were studied together with the vegetation growing spontaneously over them with the aim of identifying the bioavailability of heavy metals. The potential of spontaneous vegetation for phytoremediation and/or phytostabilization was evaluated. The pH of the soils ranges from neutral to basic, with very low organic matter and nitrogen contents. There are imbalances between exchangeable cations like potassium (K) and calcium (Ca), mainly due to high magnesium (Mg) content that can strongly limit plant production. Moreover, in all of the studied soils there are high levels of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) (>70, >1300 and >1300 mg kg−1, respectively). They exceed the intervention limits indicated by soil guideline values. Different soil extractions were performed in order to evaluate bioavailability. CaCl2 0.01 M is the most effective extraction reagent, although the reagent that best predicts plant availability is a mixture of low molecular weight organic acids. Festuca rubra, L. is the spontaneous plant growing in the soils that accumulates the highest amount of the metals, both in shoot and roots. Festuca also has the highest translocation factor values, although they are only >1 for Cr. The bioconcentration factor is >1 in all of the cases, except in the shoot of Juncus sp. for Co and Ni. The results indicate that Festuca is a phytostabilizer of Co and Ni and an accumulator of Cr, while Juncus sp. is suitable for phytostabilization.

Rhizobacterial communities associated with spontaneous plant species in long-term arsenic contaminated soils.

The microbial community composition in three soil fractions (bulk soil, rhizosphere and rhizoplane) of the root-soil system of a thistle, Cirsium arvense, and of a tufted hair grass, Deschampsia caespitosa, was investigated. The two spontaneous wild plant species were predominant in two Italian lands contaminated since centuries by arsenic and at present show high levels of arsenic (from 215 to 12,500mgkg(-1)). In order to better understand how the rhizobacterial ecosystem responds to a long-term arsenic contamination in term of composition and functioning, culture-independent techniques (DAPI counts, fluorescence in situ hybridization and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis) along with cultivation-based methods were applied. Microbial community structure was qualitatively similar in the two root-soil systems, but some quantitative differences were observed. Bacteria of the α-, β-, and γ-subclasses of the Proteobacteria were dominant in all fractions, while the subdominant groups (Cytophagaceae, gram-positive spore-forming, and filamentous bacteria) were significantly more abundant in the root-soil system of D. caespitosa. As regards to arsenic resistant strains, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Enterobacteria and γ-Proteobacteria were isolated from soil system of both plants. Our results suggest that the response to a high level of arsenic contamination governed the rhizosphere microbial community structure together with the soil structure and the plant host type effects. Data from this study can provide better understanding of complex bacterial communities in metal-polluted soils, as well as useful information of indigenous bacterial strains with potential application to soil remediation.

Perception and knowledge of plant diversity among urban park users

For several decades, ecological studies have suggested that urbanized environments can be viewed as biodiversity refuges, thus broadening conservation concerns from pristine to urban green areas. Despite the increasing motivation to conserve areas where humans live and work, the conservation of urban biodiversity rarely takes citizens’ knowledge, perception, and needs into account. Interdisciplinary-based conservation is thus urgently needed in order to bridge this gap. We therefore studied a park located in Paris (France) where we combined ecological and human sciences to question a botanist and 100 park users about their knowledge and perceptions of plant richness. We then assessed the role of plant richness on people's perception of the services provided by the park. Our findings show that park users mainly recognized the cultivated plants promoted by gardeners, whereas the botanist more frequently observed spontaneous plants. Furthermore, the plant richness estimation by park users was much lower than the botanist's count. The users were attentive to the surrounding plant richness because of its beauty and its effect on their sense of well-being, whereas its role in biodiversity and ecological functions were less relevant. Finally, although the knowledge of plant richness among park users was poor and focused on ornamental plants, they preferred to consider wild plant management in terms of cohabitation rather than removal, which may indicate a desire for more naturalistic landscapes. We discuss these results and propose several recommendations for improving biodiversity conservation in green parks without undermining the park users’ well-being.

English

The botanical and edaphic inventory investigations of the spontaneous flora distribution in the regions of Ouargla and Ghardaia revealed the presence of 56 taxa of which 32 were ephemeral and 24 vivacious. The sweeping operation of 6 stations over these two regions showed an abundant richness estimated to 39 species localized mainly in the beds of Wadis and distributed as follows: Reg (19), Sebkha (7), Erg (6) and Hamada (5). The average richness of species was about 4, 83 in the beds of Wadis and 0, 83 in Hamadas. The abundance and dominance of plants varied within the same species from one station to another. In fact, severe climato-edaphic conditions gave rise to isolated life. For example, Chamephytes dominate in dry and moderately humid environments as in the Reg of Hassi Ben Abdellah and Wadi N’sa. However, in humid zones such as the Wadi M’zab, it was therophytes that dominated. In these dry zones, the spontaneous plants were distributed according to their ecological affinities. The position of each species depended on different ecological factors such as dryness, soil and humidity. Key words: Distribution, spontaneous flora, richness, soil, Sahara.

Screening of Two Algerian Spontaneous Plants for Anti-lipase and Antioxidant Activities

Screening of Two Algerian Spontaneous Plants for Anti-lipase and Antioxidant Activities

The effect of plant density in nickel-phytomining field experiments with Alyssum murale in Albania

Ultramafic vertisols cover large areas in Albania and offer opportunities for phytomining. We undertook a field experiment with native Alyssum murale on two representative Vertisols at a distance of 20 km from each other (Pojskë and Domosdovë, Albania), to test the effect of planting density (transplanted seedlings) on a phytomining cropping system. Both areas were cleared in late summer 2012 and then ploughed and the soils were characterised. At Domosdovë, an area of 0.5 ha was planted with local native seedlings at a density of six plants per square metre in September 2012. Spontaneous plants that had germinated in Spring 2012 were left to grow without any competition from other plants on a second 0.1-ha plot at Domosdovë. All plots were weeded manually in the autumn of 2012 and spring of 2013. Individual plants occupied ~1 m2 at maturity. At Pojskë, an area of 0.3 ha was also planted in September 2012 with local native seedlings of A. murale at a density of four plants per square metre. Plants grown at initial densities of four and six plants per square metre did not fully cover the ground; gaps were filled in naturally by a second spontaneous generation of A. murale seedlings (recruits) that had germinated in Autumn 2012. Other weeds were eliminated with herbicides. At Domosdovë, at densities of one and six plants and at Pojskë of four plants per square metre, the biomass yield was 10, 5 and 10 t ha–1, respectively. Concentration of phytoextracted nickel was 77, 41 and 112 kg ha–1. We suggest that a density of four plants per square metre is suitable for phytoextraction with native populations of A. murale. A. murale can be a weed itself and lower the nickel phytoextraction yield. Plants responded differently in their native environment than in previous field trials in North America.

Allotment gardens and parks: Provision of ecosystem services with an emphasis on biodiversity

Urban areas, in particular, present unique challenges for the conservation of ecosystems. Allotment gardens (AGs) are an important greenspace feature of urban landscapes in Europe which have the potential to offer multiple social and bio-physical ecosystem services in addition to food production. This study is an attempt to assess and compare the ecosystem services provided by AGs in Manchester, UK, and Poznań, Poland as well as a comparison to city parks. The surveys included a detailed land cover characterisation and an assessment of cultivated and spontaneous plant species. There are differences in the land use characteristics in the two cities with a preference for vegetable growing and water recycling in Manchester, and a greater number of trees and a higher focus on recreation in Poznań. The consequences of these basic differences are discussed in terms of the ecosystem services that are provided by the two different AG types, and parks. In terms of ecology, there is higher species richness on AGs with a greater proportion of neophytes, which may potentially spread into cities. The species recorded in parks and AGs contained a lot of native characteristics of urban, ruderal plant communities.

FIRST REPORT OF LEVEILLULA TAURICA ON CAPPARIS SPINOSA IN ITALY

In July 2014, a white fungal efflorescence was observed on the stems and both surfaces of mature and young leaves of a caper plant (Capparis spinosa) growing in the Campus of the University of Bari. Light microscope observations revealed the presence of simple or branched conidiophores emerging through leaf stomata, and bearing conidia singly or in short chains. Primary (pyriform) and secondary (cylindrical) conidia, typical of the anamorphic stage of Leveillula taurica (Lev.) G. Arnaud, causal agent of powdery mildew (Palti, 1988), measured on average 62.2×20.2 μm (±7.23×±2.18 μm standard deviation). The teleomorphic stage was not observed during three months of observation. A 630-bp PCR amplicon obtained with the ITS1/ITS4 primer pair was sequenced (BMR Genomics, Italy) and deposited in GenBank under the accession No. KP164030 (isolate designated CSP-PUG1). The sequence shared up to 99% homology with several accessions of L. taurica, including the one previously reported on caper (AB045002), and other species of the genus. The Koch’s postulates were met with a successful pathogenicity test on caper. It is worth noting that, besides this plant, I have never observed powdery mildew on spontaneous caper plants in different Apulian (southern Italy) sites, even when they were growing close to highly susceptible plant species such as Convolvulus arvensis. Therefore, the sporadic pathogen occurrence on this plant might be due to microclimatic conditions unusual for caper. Indeed, the diseased plant had grown under a prolonged shading near a building, but caper normally grows in sun-drenched places like stone walls and rocky cliffs. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first report of L. taurica on caper in Italy.

Mediterranean semi-arid plant Astragalus armatus as a source of bioactive galactomannan

A water-soluble polysaccharide fraction (WSPF) was extracted and purified from Astragalus armatus Lam. (Fabaceae), a spontaneous plant found in North Algerian Sahara. The structural features of WSPF were evaluated by colorimetric assays, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, high performance anion exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). WSPF was a galactomannan-rich fraction, with a β-(1,4)-d-manp backbone with α-(1,6)-d-galp branches, and a Man:Gal ratio of 1.13. Besides, the anti-complement activity and the antioxidant potential (DPPH and hydroxyl radicals) of WSPF were evaluated. The results exhibited an anti-complementary activity, with an IC50 value of 0.39 mg/mL of the fraction, better than for heparin (0.58 mg/mL). Moreover, WSPF possessed a notable antioxidant activity on DPPH radical with an IC50 of 330 µg/mL.

Population dynamics of Aceodromus convolvuli (Acari: Mesostigmata: Blattisociidae) on spontaneous plants associated with Jatropha curcas in central Brazil.

Spontaneously growing plants are commonly considered competitors of cultivated plants. Owing to the lack of specificity of many arthropods, spontaneous plants may be attacked by the same arthropods that attack cultivated plants and they may also harbor natural enemies of organisms harmful to cultivated plants. Aceodromus convolvuli Muma (Blattisociidae) has been reported recently in relatively large numbers in Tocantins state, central Brazil, mostly on Helicteres guazumifolia Kunth (Malvaceae). Very little has been reported about the population dynamics of blattisociid mites under field conditions. The objective of this work was to study the population dynamics of A. convolvuli in Gurupi, Tocantins state, to evaluate its possible interaction with associated mites. Monthly samples were taken from leaves of the 11 most abundant and frequent spontaneous plants in a Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) plantation. About 96.5% of the specimens of A. convolvuli were collected in the rainy season. The patterns of variation of the population of A. convolvuli and of predators belonging to the family Phytoseiidae were similar, but A. convolvuli was much more numerous than all phytoseiid specimens combined. Highly significant correlations were observed between A. convolvuli densities and relative humidity or diversity of spontaneous plants. When only mites on H. guazumifolia were considered, highly significant correlation was also observed between densities of A. convolvuli and of mites of the family Tetranychidae. The results suggested that A. convolvuli could be a predator of tenuipalpid and/or tetranychid mites. Studies about its biology are needed to determine its preferred food sources and potential as biological control agent.

Thin layer convective air drying of wild edible plant (Allium roseum) leaves: experimental kinetics, modeling and quality.

The present study deals with the valorization of an edible spontaneous plant of the Tunisian arid areas: Allium roseum. This plant is traditionally used for therapeutic and culinary uses. Thin-layer drying behavior of Allium roseum leaves was investigated at 40, 50 and 60°C drying air temperatures and 1 and l.5m/s air velocity, in a convective dryer. The increase in air temperature significantly affected the moisture loss and reduced the drying time while air velocity was an insignificant factor during drying of Allium roseum leaves. Five models selected from the literature were found to satisfactorily describe drying kinetics of Allium roseum leaves for all tested drying conditions. Drying data were analyzed to obtain moisture diffusivity values. During the falling rate-drying period, moisture transfer from Allium roseum leaves was described by applying the Fick's diffusion model. Moisture diffusivity varied from 2.55 × 10(-12) to 8.83 × 10(-12)m(2)/s and increased with air temperature. Activation energy during convective drying was calculated using an exponential expression based on Arrhenius equation and ranged between 46.80 and 52.68kJ/mol. All sulfur compounds detected in the fresh leaves were detected in the dried leaves. Convective air drying preserved the sulfur compounds potential formation.

Organic polyculture of passion fruit, pineapple, corn and cassava: the influence of green manure and distance between espaliers

The organic fruit crop should incorporate the principles of sustainable agriculture, with a guarantee of productivity coupled with ecological diversity, using techniques of policultive with regional species. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the green manure crops [Canavalia ensiformis (jack beans), Crotalaria spectabilis (sunn hemp), Pueraria phaseoloides (tropical kudzu), Arachis pintoi (peanut forage) and spontaneous plants] and distance between espaliers on the yields of Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa (passion fruit), Ananas comosus (pineapple), Zea mays (maize), Manihot esculenta (cassava) and biomass in organic polyculture in the state of Acre, Brazil. The randomized block design experiment comprised plots encompassing the space between the rows of passion fruits (espaliers located 3 m or 4 m apart), and subplots that contained the green manure crops. Green biomass yield by jack beans, sunn hemp and tropical kudzu was greater than that provided by peanut forage and spontaneous plants. The polyculture of passion fruit, pineapple, maize and cassava presented a high overall yield (44462 kg ha-1). The land-use efficiency of the polyculture system was between 2.45 (with sunn hemp) and 2.77 (with tropical kudzu) times greater than that achieved by individual monocultures. The yields of passion fruit (with tropical kudzu as cover crop) and pineapple (with spontaneous plants as green manure) were enhanced by some 72 and 34%, respectively, when cultivated in plots comprising 3 m-spaced espaliers in comparison with plots containing 4 m-spaced espaliers.

An assessment of spontaneous vegetation recovery in aggregate quarries in coastal sand dunes in Buenos Aires province, Argentina.

Sand dune quarries are a location of common aggregate mining activity developed in coastal areas, especially in the southeast Buenos Aires province, Argentina. In this article, spontaneous plant development after extraction activity ceased was evaluated. Five areas (three quarried and two natural/conservation areas) were sampled for plant cover and composition as well as sediment characterization. Different indexes, principal component analysis, and cluster analyses were applied to compare the areas. The dominant families observed in four of the five areas were Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Cyperaceae, and most of the species are commonly found in sandy and humid soils and/or modified/anthropized ones. Percentages of plant cover increased with time because of the cessation of active aggregate extraction. Indexes and multivariate analyses showed that it was possible to distinguish quarried and natural areas based on composition and vegetation cover. The distribution of plant species among the four areas responded to the presence of mining activity, but it also responded to the topographical position and consequently the depth of the groundwater level. Besides these differences, the four areas shared many native species. The results might indicate that once the activity has ceased, quarried areas may spontaneously and quickly develop a plant community with some similarities to those present in the nonquarried areas. However, given that the extracting activity involves the removal of the soil, revegetation of this type of environment depends on the presence of natural areas in the surroundings, which can serve as a source of seeds and propagules for plant regeneration.

Reflections on Early Medieval resources in northern Italy: The archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data

Archaeobotanical and archaeozoological research about Early Middle Age in Northern Italy testify a very diversified use of vegetal and animal resources. Several types of cereals and legumes are cultivated; fruits and vegetables are grown and at same time spontaneous plant species are collected. Together with the breeding of pigs, goats, sheep and cattle, hunting and fishing are widespread. We discuss the possible causes of the utilization of such a broad spectrum of resources in relation to social and economic factors (such as the political instability, the absence of trade, the population decline). We suggest that the hypothesis derived from archaeobiological data could modify and moreover enrich the hypothesis made on the basis of historical sources.

Distribution patterns of spontaneous vegetation and pollution at a former decantation basin in southern Québec, Canada

After industrial activities shut down, the brownfields remaining on abandoned sites are often left to revegetate naturally, a process that reflects the site's biotic and abiotic characteristics, including spatial pollutant distribution. The soil of a former decantation basin in Varennes (southern Québec, Canada) was systematically sampled and described in terms of concentration of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), PHs (petroleum hydrocarbons C10–C50), various trace metals as well as ruderal plant abundance and diversity. Partial redundancy analysis was used to investigate the effect of heterogeneous pollution on the plant community's spatial distribution. Up to 61% of variance in spontaneous plant distribution was explained by the pollutant dispersion pattern on the study site. These findings provide guidelines for the design of site-specific and within-site remediation or rehabilitation promoting natural processes that are already in progress. They also suggest using local vegetation and a greater diversity of plant species when conditions are conducive as this may have many associated benefits. The resulting design, which promotes development of the local plant community, can be a more cost effective and environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional plant-based remediation approaches.

Retama monosperma n-hexane extract induces cell cycle arrest and extrinsic pathway-dependent apoptosis in Jurkat cells

BackgroundRetama monosperma L. (Boiss.) or Genista monosperma L. (Lam.), locally named as “R’tam”, is an annual and spontaneous plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. In Morocco, Retama genus is located in desert regions and across the Middle Atlas and it has been widely used in traditional medicine in many countries. In this study, we show that Retama monosperma hexane extract presents significant anti-leukemic effects against human Jurkat cells.MethodsHuman Jurkat cells, together with other cell lines were screened with different concentrations of Retama monosperma hexane extract at different time intervals. Growth inhibition was determined using luminescent-based viability assays. Cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry analysis. Combined caspase 3 and 7 activities were measured using luminometric caspase assays and immunoblots were performed to analyze expression of relevant pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. GC-MS were used to determine the chemical constituents of the active extract.ResultsRetama monosperma hexane extract (Rm-HE) showed significant cytotoxicity against Jurkat cells, whereas it proved to be essentially ineffective against both normal mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3) and normal lymphocytes (TK-6). Cytometric analysis indicated that Rm-HE promoted cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induction accompanied by DNA damage induction indicated by an increase in p-H2A.X levels. Rm-HE induced apoptosis was partially JNK-dependent and characterized by an increase in Fas-L levels together with activation of caspases 8, 3, 7 and 9, whereas neither the pro-apoptotic nor anti-apoptotic mitochondrial membrane proteins analyzed were significantly altered. Chemical identification analysis indicated that α-linolenic acid, campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol were the major bioactive components within the extract.ConclusionsOur data suggest that bioactive compounds present in Rm-HE show significant anti leukemic activity inducing cell cycle arrest and cell death that operates, at least partially, through the extrinsic apoptosis pathway.

Conhecimento botânico medicinal sobre espécies vegetais nativas da caatinga e plantas espontâneas no agreste da Paraíba, Brasil

O bioma Caatinga apresenta diversas espécies vegetais amplamente empregadas pelas populações rurais, especialmente na fitoterapia, abrangendo diversos usos no tratamento de determinadas enfermidades. As plantas espontâneas, apesar de serem entendidas como espécies daninhas ou invasoras, concomitantemente apresentam propriedades fitoquímicas que podem ser aproveitadas no âmbito medicinal. Nesta concepção, o referente trabalho tem como objetivo identificar espécies vegetais nativas da Caatinga, assim como plantas espontâneas, empregadas na medicina popular através de estudo etnobotânico desenvolvido na zona rural do município de Serra da Raiz, Agreste da Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil. O levantamento das plantas de uso fitoterápico foi estabelecido através de questionamentos e entrevistas semiestruturadas com 57 famílias da região. Foram coletadas informações referentes a 55 espécies vegetais e seus empregos terapêuticos, destacando-se entre elas: Myracrodruom urundeuva Allemão (Aroeira), Genipa americana L. (Jenipapo), Solanum paniculatum L. (Jurubeba) e Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan (Angico) por serem amplamente utilizadas no tratamento de diversas enfermidades pelos moradores locais.

Sewage sludge application for spontaneous plant restoration of a New Caledonian Ferralsol

Soils from New Caledonia typically present poor nutrient content and large quantities of heavy metals such as nickel, chromium and cobalt, resulting in slow plant development. We evaluated the impact of sewage sludge application (0–30 t dry weight (DW) ha–1) on the passive revegetation of a former pine plantation. The spontaneously regenerated plant cover was mainly represented by the dominant Pinus caribaea, a shrub (Sannantha leratii), and a grass (Costularia comosa). The density of pine seedlings was significantly higher in the moderately amended zone (1.2 and 0.2 pines m–2 for 0.5 and 30 t DW ha–1 respectively). The same tendency was observed for S. leratii, but for C. comosa, no net change was observed. With no amendment, after 5 years many species were present, although aboveground biomass (0.3 kg m–2) was low, whereas, with sludge amendment, aboveground biomass was high (5 kg m–2) but diversity low. Amendment increased pine tree heights from 0.15 to 3.92 m with increased amendment from 0 to 30 t DW ha–1. The uptake of nitrogen (N) by pine trees was also improved with sludge supply, as was the uptake of phosphorus (P). Regarding S. leratii, N and P levels were highest at the sludge dosage of 2 t DW ha–1. Carbon storage in P. caribaea biomass increased from 0.40 to 180 kg m–2 with increased amendment applied. Five years after spreading at the highest amendment levels, available soil P remained enhanced. For heavy metal uptake by pine trees, no significant effect of sewage sludge was observed. The optimal dosage to stimulate biodiversity was 0.5–2 t DW ha–1 but maximal biomass was reached at 8–30 t DW ha–1.

Statement of EFSA on host plants, entry and spread pathways and risk reduction options for Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al.

Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to provide urgent scientific and technical assistance on the plant pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. X. fastidiosa was detected in olive trees in Lecce province in Apulia, Italy, in October 2013. This is the first outbreak of X. fastidiosa under field conditions in the European Union. EFSA reviewed the host range and vectors, the pathways for entry and spread and the risk reduction options. Known hosts include many cultivated and spontaneous plants common in Europe, however a range of European wild plant species would meet this bacterium for the first time, increasing uncertainty on the host range. All xylem-fluid feeding insects in Europe should be regarded as potential vectors of X. fastidiosa and identification of the vector in the Apulian outbreak is pending. The main entry pathway for X. fastidiosa is the movement of plants for planting. Infective vectors of X. fastidiosa transported on plant consignments are also of concern. The only route for natural spread of X. fastidiosa is by insect vectors that generally fly short distances up to 100 metres, but can be transported by wind over long distance. The movement of infected plants for planting is the most efficient way for long-distance dispersal of X. fastidiosa. There is no record of successful eradication of X. fastidiosa once established outdoors due to the broad host range of the pathogen and of its vectors. Strategies for prevention of introduction from areas where the pathogen is present and for containment of outbreak should focus on the two main pathways and be based on integrated system approach combining, when applicable, the most effective options.