Brussels, 24/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - France announced on Thursday 23 July that it has introduced measures to eradicate a source of Xylella fastidiosa in Corsica (see EUROPE 11365).
Tighter vigilance by the public authorities identified a Polygala myrtifolia shrub in a shopping area in the area of Propriano, which was displaying suspicious symptoms on 20 July and presence of the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria has been confirmed. Public authorities in Corsica immediately implemented an emergency action plan, digging up the offending plants, eradicating insects from the area and carrying out an epidemiological investigation.
Stéphane Le Foll, French agriculture minister, confirmed that the first source of Xylella fastidiosa has been detected in France and ordered the necessary eradication measures. An eradication and buffer zone around the source have been set up and the following measures immediately implemented: identification and removal of vulnerable plants, restrictions on the movement of plants and intensive official surveillance.
The French agriculture ministry says that public services have been fully mobilised to rapidly implement the removal of vulnerable plants in the eradication zone and alongside that, the investigation that began on 22 July is continuing in order to find the origin of the contamination. (Lionel Changeur)