Pine wilt disease: A global threat to forestry

Abstract Pines are the most economically important trees in the world and, together with eucalyptus, they dominate commercial forests. But the success of a relatively small number of widely planted species, such as Pinus pinaster , the maritime pine, comes at a price. Pines are attractive to damaging pathogens and insect pests, including the pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus , the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD). Originally described in Japan, PWD has caused widespread destruction to forests in countries such as China, Taiwan, Portugal, Spain and the United States. PWN causes irreparable damage to the vascular system of its pine hosts, leading to mortality within 3 months. Pine sawyer…

• BS
  British Society for Plant Pathology