Radiation of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
In the USA experiments were carried out to measure the radiation sensitivity of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (EPPO A1 organism) in woodchips in order to develop a disinfestation method for pine wood chips.
The radiation sensitivity was tested over a range of dose values with a cesium-137 irradiator. The lethal dose for pine wood nematodes lay in the range 6-8 kGy and is, therefore, economically unattractive for the disinfestation of woodchips.
Sources
Eichholz, G.G.; Bogdanov, A.A.; Dwinell, L.D. (1991) Radiation sensitivity of pine wood nematodes in woodchips.
International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation. Part A, Applied Radiation and Isotopes 42, 177-179.