Iron in olive tree leaves in the Mediterranean area

In this paper we used the technique of X-ray fluorescence by dispersionin energy in order to study a phytopathology named sooty mouldin olive tree leaves in the Mediterranean area. Samples studied included leaveswhich were infected and non-infected by sooty mould. Energy depressive X-rayfluorescence showed a significant increase in the amount of Fe in the affectedleaves when compared to leaves that don't have this pattern of blackmaterial. We suggest here that a treatment for this condition may be basedon a method that deprives these organisms of the Fe that they apparently needto survive. The average Fe concentration obtained for the infected olive treeleaves was 80 ppm, while the non-infected ones showed no measurable Fe presence.