Pest Management Science (2014) 70, 6-13

Luís F. Bonifácio, Edmundo Sousa, Pedro Naves, Maria L. Inácio, Joana Henriques, Manuel Mota, Pedro Barbosa, Mike J. Drinkall and Stanislas Buckley (2014)
Efficacy of sulfuryl fluoride against the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchidae), in Pinus pinaster boards
Pest Management Science 70 (1), 6-13
Abstract:
Background
The pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is an important conifer disease worldwide. It is the direct cause of the death of millions of pines in south-east Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea) and has been established in Portugal since 1999. The phasing out of methyl bromide has created an urgent need for alternative treatment of wood packaging materials. The effect of sulfuryl fluoride (SF), a broad-spectrum fumigant used to control insects, was tested in Pinus pinaster boards naturally infested by PWN.
Results
Boards were fumigated for 24 h at three different temperatures (15, 20 and 30 °C) with dosage ranges of 3169-4407, 1901-4051 and 1385-2141 gh m⁻³ respectively. Treated wood was sampled for nematode identification and counting, before treatment and after 24 h, 72 h and 21 days. No survival was found in the 15 °C and 30 °C treatments, while at 20 °C the mortality ranged from 94.06 to 100%. Some reasons for the survival at 20 °C are presented.
Conclusion
Results confirm SF to be an effective quarantine treatment for PWN at 15 and 30 °C. Further studies are needed to obtain the most effective dosage at 20 °C, and to determine the toxicity of SF fumigation on B. xylophilus at other temperatures, especially at 25 °C.
(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): Maria L. Inácio, Manuel M. Mota, Pedro Miguel Naves

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general
quarantine treatments/regulations/aspects

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

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