Determination of best pine wilt disease treatment using irradiation

Abstract

Although fumigation of affected trees is the common control methodof the pinewood nematode, a causal agent of pine wilt disease,the treatment causes environmental problems and is expensive.This study assessed the effectiveness of irradiation technology.The physical properties and atomic composition of pinewood wereobtained from the literature as input to a radiation transport code(MCNP5). Radiation energies were 10 MeV electron beam and1.25 MeV gamma rays. For 10 MeV e-beams, penetration depthwas 13.4 cm at onedirectional irradiation. When the pinewooddiameter was less than 17.5 cm, double-beam irradiation sufficedto ensure extermination of the larva. When pinewood diameterwas slightly less than 42 cm, a half-cut sample was sufficient toachieve the dose required under double-beam irradiation. For1.25 MeV gamma rays, the whole sample absorbed the dose. APVC pipe improved dose absorption at the bark region. A palletirradiator was also evaluated. The double-beam configuration waseffective (lower DURs). Although the pine sawyer beetle, a vector ofthe nematode, penetrates from the bark and moves into the stem,treatment with 1.25 MeV gamma rays could easily control them.Irradiation technology is an effective alternative to treat nematodeinfestedpinewood without unwanted environmental problems. ARTICLE HISTORY