Confirmed cases of Xylella in almond trees in southern Lebanon

Laboratory tests using different methods (ELISA, conventional PCR, quantitative PCR and real-time LAMP) have confirmed the positives for Xylella in three symptomatic almond trees located in southern Lebanon. This is the fastidious subspecies, the same one that was found in the Hula Valley, in Israel, a few kilometers from this first detection in Lebanese territory. In 2015 an article was published suggesting the presence of Xylella in Lebanon. However, subsequent studies confirmed that the initially obtained positive ELISA samples were false positives. Inspections carried out in late summer 2020 identified almond trees (Prunus dulcis) with symptoms such as leaf burn, similar to those caused by the bacterium, in some orchards in Bint Jbeil district (Nabatiyeh Governorate). Laboratory tests have confirmed that it is indeed the pathogen, and of the same subspecies as the nearest focus, in Israel. The Lebanese phytosanitary authorities are carrying out further studies to delimit the ...