Effects of dispersal barriers in the demarcated area in Alicante, Spain, for Xylella fastidiosa. A non-stationary modelling approach

Abstract

Spatial models for plant diseases often assume isotropy and stationarity, implying that the spatial dependence is direction invariant and uniform through the study area. However, these assumptions are violated when dispersal barriers are present in the form of geographical features or disease control interventions. The main objective here was to evaluate the influence of different types of barriers in the distribution of Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) in the demarcated area in Alicante, Spain.