Study of BEC student Kevin Schneider published in PNAS

Olive leprosy, which is the informal name for the olive quick decline syndrome, threatens the livelihood of olive farmers in Southern Europe. The disease, caused by bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, currently causes millions of trees in Apulia (Italy) to wither and die. Measures against the disease include vector control and the preventive felling of healthy olive trees in an attempt to contain the pathogen. 

Business Economics PhD candidate Kevin Schneider led the study on the "Impact of Xylella fastidiosa subspecies pauca in European Olives.” The study predicted climatic suitability for establishment of the disease, simulated future spread and derived potential economic impacts to olive growers. The study is now published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS). Kevin was interviewed on the study by BBC, BBC radio, The Guardian, Financial Times and The Times.

The study can be read here:

https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2020/04/07/1912206117

The news items can be read here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52234561
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0889njh  [1:52:20]
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/13/olive-oil-industry-under-increasing-threat-from-olive-leprosy
https://www.ft.com/content/0f911dfb-854a-4e47-966b-0640c453f3ea
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/olive-tree-leprosy-threat-to-oil-industry-gh3hnmnwn