Infections of Xylella fastidiosa subsp pauca strain “De Donno” in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was inoculated with the olive-infecting strain “De Donno” isolated from a symptomatic olive in Apulia (Italy), and was demonstrated that this highly pathogenic strain causes an overactive reaction that ends up with the necrosis of the inoculated stem, a reaction that differs from the notoriously Alfalfa Dwarf disease, caused by X. fastidiosa strains isolated from grapes and almond. RNASeq analysis showed that major plant immunity pathways are activated, in particular, several Calcium transmembrane transporters and enzymes responsible of the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS).