The IRFAP, an agency attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, has recovered infected varieties that are now safely preserved in a biosecure greenhouse managed by the Agriculture Service.

The arrival of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, one of the most destructive pathogens for woody crops, has caused the death of hundreds of almond trees and endangered the survival of traditional varieties and an emblematic agricultural landscape in the Balearic Islands. In particularly affected areas, such as the municipality of Santa Margalida in Mallorca, the incidence has been so high that almost the entire almond collection of Son Real —the germplasm bank of the Institute of Agri-food and Fisheries Research and Training of the Balearic Islands (IRFAP)— is infected.

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Over 70% of local almond varieties affected by Xylella have been sanitised

In response to this situation, the IRFAP, a public institution under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, has carried out a comprehensive sanitation process aimed at preserving local genetic heritage and ensuring the survival of almond varieties native to the Balearic Islands. The sanitation process does not imply that these varieties are resistant to Xylella fastidiosa or that the plant material will remain free of infection once planted in the field. The sanitised material is kept exclusively as a germplasm resource for preservation and research purposes.

Thanks to recent scientific and technical work, 45 local almond varieties have been successfully sanitised, representing 72% of the Son Real collection. The remaining 17 varieties are scheduled for sanitation in upcoming seasons.

This effort is part of one of the commitments included in the Balearic Islands’ Dry Fruit Restructuring Plan, which tasked the IRFAP with creating a reservoir of local varieties free from Xylella fastidiosa.

The absence of healthy plant material in the fields made the project an even greater challenge: it was necessary to sanitize infected varieties using specific techniques while ensuring their protection from reinfection through conservation in a biosecure greenhouse operated by the Agriculture Service.

The sanitation of these 45 varieties ensures the preservation of a highly valuable genetic heritage, the result of centuries of agricultural selection and adaptation to the territory. Today, the Son Real germplasm bank represents the most complete collection of local almond varieties in the Balearic Islands and stands as a key asset for the future of the dry fruit sector, genetic research, and resilience in the face of climate change.

With this achievement, the IRFAP reaffirms its commitment to conserving and restoring the agricultural biodiversity of the Balearic Islands, in close cooperation with the farming sector.