First Report of Pierce's Disease in New Mexico

n the fall of 2006, Vitis vinifera Chardonnay grapevines from two vineyards in southern New Mexico exhibited leaf scorch and dieback symptoms consistent with Pierce's disease. ELISA, PCR, and culturing assays all detected the presence of Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce's disease,in symptomatic tissue from both vineyards confirming Pierce's disease in New Mexico. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that isolates from New Mexico grapes are closely related to a X. fastidiosa isolate recently found in the landscape plant Chitalpa tashkentensis in New Mexico.