Survival of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and Monochamus galloprovincialis in pine branches and wood packaging material

Abstract

Survival and development of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pine wood nematode) was studied for up to 40 weeks in Pinus pinaster sawn wood and branches: 30 boards (1200 × 100 × 25 mm), 30 long‐blocks (1200 × 95 × 95 mm), 10 pine branches with bark and nine branches without bark (1200 mm long). The nematode was found in all materials and through the entire sampling period, with higher abundance in the sawn wood (boards and long‐blocks). In the initial period B. xylophilus reproduced abundantly and a population peak was detected at 8–12 weeks. Subsequently, the populations declined and became dominated by third‐stage resistant larvae (JIII), and in the final sample nematode abundance was very low. Nematode decline in the wood was correlated with a decrease in the moisture content (MC) to below fibre saturation. Survival of the insect vector Monochamus galloprovincialis was also assessed in sawn boards (1200 × 100 × 25 mm, n = 31) and blocks (160 × 95 × 95 mm, n = 40). The majority of the larvae were killed when sawing the wood, although some adults successfully emerged from the boards (10% survival) and blocks (37%). These results represent a contribution to the quantification of the risks of dispersing pine wilt disease through wood packaging materials, confirming that untreated wood can support healthy and abundant B. xylophilus populations for sufficient time for vectors surviving the sawing process to complete their development, to emerge and disperse the nematode.

Long‐term survival and non‐vector spread of the pinewood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, via wood chips

“…The extended presence of nematodes in the openly stored wood chips might be attributed to the continuing availability of some food resources, as suggested by Sousa, Naves, Bonifacio, Inacio, et al. ().…”

“…The persistence of the PWN at low population densities in our test of long‐term survival suggests that the availability of large amounts of nutritional fungus might not have been necessary (Panesar et al., ; Sousa, Naves, Bonifacio, Inacio, et al. ). Moreover, it is possible that a less prominent fungus was serving as a nutrient source and escaped isolation.…”

Pest survey of softwood boxes, with special emphasis on pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae)

“…Sousa et al . () followed the survival of B. xylophilus in untreated boards and blocks made from infested trees. They observed a positive correlation between moisture content and nematode prevalence, and reported that initial nematode populations disappeared after 40 weeks.…”

“…Other studies involving B. xylophilus extraction from wood samples do not mention fungivorous nematodes in their results (Akbulut et al, 2006;Gu et al, 2006), and no information is available on the prevalence of fungivorous nematodes in living or dead wood. Sousa et al (2011) followed the survival of B. xylophilus in untreated boards and blocks made from infested trees.…”

Efficacy of sulfuryl fluoride against the pinewood nematode,Bursaphelenchus xylophilus(Nematoda: Aphelenchidae), inPinus pinasterboards

“…7,46 Although not quantified, all larvae, pupae and adult insects present in the wood were killed with SF fumigation at the three tested temperatures, thereby confirming previous results on the efficacy of SF as an insecticide. 29,32,47,48 The limited survival of the pinewood nematode in low-moisture-content wood 49 and the combined eradication of both the nematode and its insect vector from SFfumigated boards effectively remove the risk of dispersing pine wilt disease, even if low levels of B. xylophilus survive, because the nematode depends on a living vector in the wood for dissemination to a healthy host tree.…”