The International Olive Council (IOC) and the University of Córdoba (UCO) have signed an agreement to launch the True Healthy Olive Cultivars (THOC) project, with the objective to provide olive germplasm banks from the IOC network authentic and free starting material of the pathogens responsible for olive tree tuberculosis (Pseudomonas savastanoi), verticillosis (Verticillium dahliae), sudden death syndrome (Xylella fastidiosa), viral diseases ArMV, CMV, CLRV, SLRV and the nematodes Meloidogyne Spp. and Xiphinema, from the World Bank of Germplasm of Oliva de Córdoba (BMGO CAP-UCO-IFAPA).
The plant material of the main varieties traded internationally has been authenticated, cleaned, multiplied and made available to the member countries.
The aims of the THOC project are the :-
1. Selection and sanitation tests of the plant material of the International Germplasm Collection of the UCO, in order to obtain the mother plants that will constitute the authentic and healthy basic material for multiplication in the IOC Germplasm Bank Network.
2. The creation of reference collections of DNA and endocarps of these cultivars.
3. The establishment of a list of correct denominations of authenticated cultivars used in national and international trade. Synonyms, homonyms and naming errors could be detected using the UPOV morphological and SSR molecular characterization methods.
4. This project was also a preventive measure against the spread of devastating pests and diseases such as those caused by Verticillium dahliae and Xylella fastidiosa and contributed to the achievement of the objectives of the Roadmap – Xylella fastidiosa “FR-XF Olivier”. Source