5th European Conference on Xylella fastidiosa: science for sustainable management

About the conference

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is organising the 5^th European Conference on Xylella fastidiosa, which will take place from 23 to 25 June 2026 in Mola di Bari, Italy. The conference will bring together researchers, risk assessors, risk managers and stakeholders to share the latest scientific and practical advances and support evidence-based risk management and policy decisions. A series of side events, technical meetings and field activities will also be held throughout the week, from 22 to 26 June, offering participants additional opportunities for exchange and hands‑on insight into ongoing research and management efforts.

Objectives of the event

Building on the outcomes of previous editions, the conference aims to present and discuss recent advances in detection, epidemiology and sustainable management of Xylella fastidiosa, including social aspects, with particular attention to translating research results into effective risk management and policy support. The draft programme is now available.

The event will address innovative tools and integrated approaches for the sustainable management of Xylella fastidiosa epidemics in olive, vineyard and almond production systems, as well as updates on the risks posed by the bacterium and its insect vectors to agriculture, forestry and natural ecosystems.

The conference will also provide a platform for the presentation and discussion of the results from the Horizon Europe research project BeXyl - Beyond Xylella, as well as from projects funded by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests (MASAF) supporting the control of Xylella fastidiosa and the recovery of olive growing, alongside findings from other international, EU and national research initiatives.

Key conclusions

Discussions at the conference highlighted the significant progress made over the past decade in understanding and managing Xylella fastidiosa outbreaks in Europe. Researchers presented advances in host resistance, biological and integrated control approaches, vector management, surveillance tools and disease modelling, while also addressing the social and economic dimensions of managing long-term epidemics. Participants emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration between researchers, risk assessors, risk managers and stakeholders to translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions that support resilient and sustainable agricultural systems.

For a more detailed overview of the main findings and messages from the conference, please refer to the post-event announcement.
 

Programme

The programme below lists the sessions and presentations across the three conference days. It includes the links to the recordings of each day and to speaker presentations by session.The programme below lists the sessions and presentations across the three conference days. It includes the links to the recordings of each day and to speaker presentations by session.

Tuesday 23 June 2026

• Day 1 recording
• Session 1 – Olive resistance to Xylella fastidiosa (presentations)
• Session 2 – Advances on control of Xylella fastidiosa (presentations)
• Session 3 – Advances on biology and control of Xylella fastidiosa (presentations)

Wednesday 24 June 2026

• Day 2 recording
• Session 4 – Advances on vectors biology and control (presentations)
• Session 5 – Impact and social aspects of Xylella fastidiosa epidemics and management (presentations)
• Session 6 – Monitoring and modelling Xylella fastidiosa epidemics I (presentations)
• Session 7 – Monitoring and modelling Xylella fastidiosa epidemics II (presentations)

Thursday 25 June 2026

• Day 3 recording
• Session 8 – Pierce's disease of grapevines (presentations)
• Closing session (presentations)

Conference materials

• Book of Abstracts

Young Researchers’ Initiative

A Young Researchers’ Initiative was launched as part of the conference to support early-career researchers and plant health professionals. A total of 18 young scientists were selected to participate in the initiative, including 15 from EU countries and 3 from outside the EU. Financial support was provided jointly by EFSA and Regione Puglia–CIHEAM Bari. The selected participants attended the conference and contributed to the scientific programme through oral and poster presentations.
 

Side events

In addition to the scientific conference, several side events, meetings and technical activities took place throughout the week, providing further opportunities for exchange and discussion among researchers, practitioners and authorities. 

Contact

Should you have any questions related to the content or organisation of the 5^th European conference on X. fastidiosa please contact us at: xylella_conference [at] efsa.europa.eu (xylella_conference[at]efsa[dot]europa[dot]eu)