The Sbarro Health Research Organization congratulates the Italian researchers who were able to prove a direct causal link between the infection by Xylella fastidiosa and the death of olive trees in southern Italy. A few days ago, a paper in a journal published by the Nature group was published, which unequivocally concluded that:
- Xylella fastidiosa (and precisely the subspecies found in Apulia, Italy) is pathogenic to olives
- Some olive cultivars appear resistant, because when injected with the pathogen develop symptoms over a longer time and of reduced severity.
These results, obtained after years of experimental work, are due to the same group of researchers based in Bari, affiliated to the Italian CNR, to the local University and to the Research Centre “Basile Caramia,” which were continuing their scientific activities, their experimental work and their European-funded research projects on Xylella, despite the opposition of some judges, some activist groups and even some of local politicians.
The Sbarro Health Research Organization will always support science-based political decisions aimed to preserve the human health, the environment, and the best interest of the society as a whole.
The Sbarro Health Research Organization stands with researchers and scientists which, all over the world, struggle to investigate the physical world, even when obstacles are posed by interested politicians, dishonest press, populistic activism.
For these reasons, the Sbarro Health Research Organization stands with professor Enrico Bucci and supports his views, as recently expressed on the Italian press, as well as the battle for a knowledge-based fight against the world threat posed by Xylella fastidiosa.
References:
Article by prof. Enrico Bucci on the Italian newspaper “Il Foglio”
Link to the new paper published by the Italian researchers on Xylella fastidiosa:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-17957-z
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