TROPICSAFE

The project aims to address economically important insect-borne prokaryote-associated diseases of perennial crops (palm, citrus and grapevine) grown in tropical and subtropical areas which are seriously affecting the trade and import of agricultural products and materials worldwide.

These diseases are due to the presence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma’ associated with “lethal yellowing” in palms and “yellows” in grapevine, and ‘Ca. Liberibacter’ associated with “Huanglongbing” in citrus.
To add, these diseases could also present a possible threat to EU agriculture as a result of accelerated climate change that the EU is facing nowadays.

The management of these diseases will be focused on tropical and subtropical areas in Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean , and subtropical regions in Europe.