Bursaphelenchus xylophilus continues to spread in China and Korea
At a conference on sustainability of pine forests in relation to pine wilt and decline, a number of different aspects of biology, control, vector relationships, distribution and diagnostics were discussed. Among them, Dr Helen Braasch recorded the following aspects of quarantine interest: In China and Korea despite intensive efforts to contain the infestation, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (EPPO A1 quarantine pest) continues to spread. In China the spread is towards the north-west where it has reached a region with a mean annual temperature of 14 °C. There is a fear that the nematode could continue northwards to the Russian border where there are forests of highly susceptible species: Pinus koraiensis and P. sylvestris mongolica. In Korea, where the infection was until recently confined to the south, an infected sawmill acted as a source of spread to many other parts of the country ; it is not yet known if the nematode has reached the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
Sources
Braasch, H. (1999) Bericht über das Symposium zur Bedrohung der Kierfernwälder durch Kiefernwelke und Kiefernsterben (Tokyo, 1998-10-26/30).
Nachrichtenblatt des Deutschen Pflanzenschutzdienstes, 51(5), 134-135