A Guide to Olive Pests and Diseases

Olives are now one of the most extensively cultivated fruit crops in the world. However, those growing olives face challenges due to more than 100 different pests and diseases that infect olive trees, reducing yields and increasing production costs. Due to the growth in the industry it has become even more important to address the issues of product quality and to adopt integrated pest and disease management (IPDM).This book is a guide to identifying and treating the pests and diseases of olive trees. It is designed to assist olive growers, agronomists, students, research scientists, diagnostic laboratories and consultants to correctly identify pests, diseases and non-pathogenic disorders such as weather damage and climate stress that may harm olive trees and crops worldwide.The assessment of olive-tree health has always relied on a careful study of symptoms, since these are often the only evidence available for diagnosis, so their recognition is a key element of this guide. Chapters cover insect pests, other pests, fungal diseases of leaves, fruit, trunk, roots and other areas, bacterial, viral and other diseases, and other disorders brought on by factors such as drought, floods, pollution, parasites and more. In short, the book gives thorough coverage of every potential problem that might beset olive-tree growers.The book is aimed at a readership in olive-growing countries around the world, including in Australia, and is essential reading for anyone who grows olive trees, whether in a home garden or commercially.