European Journal of Plant Pathology (2009) 124, 543-552

Taro Yamanobe (2009)
Relationships between morphological traits and resistance to pine wood nematode in two Japanese pines
European Journal of Plant Pathology 124 (4), 543-552
Abstract: It has been suggested that certain morphological traits of Japanese pines function as resistance factors against the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The aim of this study was to verify this concept, and to determine the relationships between traits and resistance at both the individual and family levels. Relationships between survival rate and morphological traits of Pinus densiflora and Pinus thunbergii were studied after inoculation with PWN. Morphometric parameters used were height, basal diameter of the axis, and the number of branches from the axis. Three indices of relationships were analysed: (1) among individuals within a family (survival difference between smaller and larger morphometric populations within each family); (2) among individuals (correlation between each morphometric average and survival rate in quintile populations of all subjects within each pine species based on the order of morphometric values); and (3) among families (correlation between each morphometric average and survival rate in the family). Both significant and non-significant differences were detected within a family, indicating a need for macro techniques. Among individuals, a thicker axis and more branches were correlated with increased survival, indicating that they are resistance factors. However, these correlations were not significant among different families. These results indicate that morphological traits cannot be used to evaluate resistance at a family level, even if they are significant at an individual level. Further studies on traits associated with resistance should be conducted at a family rather than an individual level, to breed for Japanese pines with resistance to PWN.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Taro Yamanobe

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
resistance/tolerance/defence of host

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bursaphelenchus xylophilus	Pine (Pinus)	Japan