Plant vectors of plant disease

Nature

The outbreak and spread of plant diseases and pests creates a serious threat to agricultural products of great importance to international trade. Consignments of plants, plant products or other articles or commodities moving in international traffic may act incidentally as carriers of pests and diseases of plants.

Incidence

Plant vectors of plant disease are a major global agricultural concern, contributing to significant crop losses and threatening food security. Insects such as aphids, whiteflies, and leafhoppers transmit viruses, bacteria, and fungi across continents, with outbreaks reported in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. The economic impact is substantial, with billions of dollars lost annually due to reduced yields and increased management costs.
In 2022, southern Italy experienced a severe outbreak of Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterium spread by the spittlebug, which devastated olive groves in the Apulia region. This event highlighted the rapid and destructive potential of vector-borne plant diseases.