Eleven myrtle-leaved milkworts (Polygala myrtifolia) located in the municipalities of ANTIBES, VILLENEUVE LOUBET, MOUGINS, and BIOT have been identified as carriers of the bacteria Xylella fastidiosa subsp. multiplex by the ANSES plant health laboratory.
These new cases bring the total number of outbreaks discovered in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region to 27, including 23 in the Alpes-Maritimes and 4 in the Var.
Control measures aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of Xylella fastidiosa are being implemented:
4,540 samples have been analyzed since July 21, 2015, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, covering 239 plant genera or species susceptible to the Xylella fastidiosa bacteria. 80 shrubs were found to be contaminated, including 52 plants of the Polygala genus, 16 Spanish brooms, 7 lavenders, 1 Judas tree, and 2 Australian rosemaries.
An epidemiological investigation aiming to determine the origin of the contaminated plants and their planting dates is also underway.
