Effects of Several Chemicals on the Migration Behavior of <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i> (Steiner & Buhrer) Nickle

• Main Authors: Xiu-Feng Shi, Xiao-Lei Ding, Li-Na Shi, Qing-Tong Wang, Jian-Ren Ye
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
• Series: Forests
• Subjects: pine wood nematode; insect vector; repellent effect; attractive effect
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/12/6/771

The pine wood nematode (PWN), <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i>, that causes pine wilt disease (PWD), has severely damaged forests and ecosystems in countries of East Asia and Europe. Since the high propagation rate of PWD is the main cause of the devastating disease, it is very important to interfere with the spread of PWN mediated by its insect vector (<i>Monochamus alternatus</i>). In order to explore new methods and approaches for the prevention and control of pine wood nematode disease, chemicals with attraction or repellency to pine wood nematode and stable diffusion or volatilization in infected wood were screened out to interfere and hinder the pupa chamber effect, the aggregation behavior of PWN to pupa chamber in <i>M</i>. <i>alternatus</i>. In the present study, 22 chemicals were inoculated on water agar medium and infected wood to verify the tropism of PWN toward the chemicals from the aspects of attraction and repellency. The results indicate that linoleic acid, oleic acid, diacetyl and β-myrcene have attractive effects on PWN, while kerosene and β-humulene have repellent effects on PWN and are able to stably permeate and volatilize within pine trees. This research shows that some chemicals can affect the movement behavior of PWN and interfere with its migration to the pupal chamber in <i>M</i>. <i>alternatus</i>, thus reducing the dispersal efficiency of PWNs carried by insect vectors. This chemically based strategy would provide novel approaches for effective controlling of pine wilt disease.