Mediterranean olive cultivation faces challenges in the global environmental change context. Pests and diseases caused by arthropods such as Bactrocera oleae, Prays oleae, and certain vectors of Xylella fastidiosa are expected to increase and spread in part due to this global scenario. The control of these arthropods has relied on synthetic pesticides, the misuse of which has led to pest population resistance and concerns about their negative impacts on biodiversity and global health. Integrated pest management (IPM) methods have emerged through the careful consideration of all available control techniques and the subsequent integration of appropriate measures that discourage the development of pest populations. This paper reviews the IPM guidelines for olive cultivation, prioritizing the use of biological control methods, and the integration of genetics and biotechnology, which bring precision, efficacy, and safety. It evidences the importance of genetic analysis in pest populations, pesticide resistance and in the contributions of predators to pest control. Advances in formulations and delivery systems for pesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis, plant-incorporated protectants, improved SIT techniques, and the specific efficacy of biologicals pesticides are covered. Finally, this paper explores promising tools such as RNAi and gene drive while recognizing the ethical, environmental, and regulatory challenges associated with their use. Shortly, these innovations have the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of pests while ensuring the long-term viability of the olive industry.

The European Union (EU) is facing the recent arrival of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. Its fast spread has caused great alarm because of the economic impact it implies for the agroeconomy of European countries. Among its insect vectors, Philaenus spumarius has been demonstrated to transmit the bacterium from infected to uninfected trees in the EU, where different measures have been established to control it. One of the proposals to manage this vector is the augmentation of natural enemy populations. However, the identification of candidate predator species is essential if such a management system is to be introduced. The present paper describes a set of species-specific primers designed to detect the presence of P. spumarius DNA in soil arthropod fauna generalist predators’ gut which can reveal candidate species for the pest’s biological control. Such primers have been proven to be a useful and reliable taxonomic tool for P. spumarius identification at any life stage, i.e., nymphs. This rapid and accurate identification is essential for control strategies designed to avoid the spread of the pest and consequently the considerable economic losses it causes in crops.

Bactrocera oleae, the olive fruit fly, is a major pest of olive (Olea europaea L.) trees worldwide. Its presence can cause important losses, with consequences for the economies of countries that produce and export table olives and olive oil. Efforts to control olive fruit fly populations have, however, been insufficient. Now more than ever, environmentally friendly alternatives need to be considered in potential control programs. Generalist predators could provide a way of managing this pest naturally. However, the identification of candidate predator species is essential if such a management system is to be introduced. The present paper describes a set of species-specific primers for detecting the presence of B. oleae DNA in the gut of predatory arthropods. All primers were tested for checking cross-reactive amplification of other fruit fly DNA and evaluated in heterospecific mixes of nucleic acids. All were found to be very sensitive for B. oleae. Subsequent feeding trials were conducted using one of the most abundant species of ground dwelling carabids in olive groves in south-eastern Madrid, Spain. These trials allowed determining that 253F-334R and 334F-253R primer pairs had the highest detection efficiency with an ID50 of around 78 h. These primers therefore provide a very useful tool for screening the gut contents of potential predators of B. oleae, and can thus reveal candidate species for the pest's biological control

Spain is the leading producer of olives and olive oil. Ninety-five percent of world production originate from Spain and other regions of the Mediterranean Basin. However, these olive-growing countries face a major problem, the harmful fly Bactrocera oleae, the main pest of olive crops. To improve its control, one of the challenges is the further knowledge of the species and populations dynamics in this area. A phylogeographic work is necessary to further characterise the levels and distribution patterns of genetic diversity of the Spanish populations and their genetic relationships with other Mediterranean populations. A 1151 bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene has been analysed in over 250 specimens of the six main Mediterranean countries via sequencing. Genetic diversity parameters were high; 51 new haplotypes have been identified showing a geographical pattern across the Mediterranean area. The data revealed that olive fruit fly populations have been long time established in the Mediterranean Basin with two genetic groups. Gene flow seems to be the main process in shaping this genetic structure as well as fly’s colonisation routes that have paralleled those of the olive tree.