Pathogenicity of Bursaphelenchus mucronatus in Pine Seedlings under Greenhouse Conditions

Authors: SÜLEYMAN AKBULUT, BEŞİR YÜKSEL, METİN SERİN, İSMAİL BAYSAL, MAHİR ERDEM

Abstract: Bursaphelenchus mucronatus, a species closely related to the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, a quarantine pest), was isolated from several wilted pine trees in different provinces of Turkey. To understand the role of B. mucronatus in these wilting cases, the pathogenicity of B. mucronatus on 3-year-old seedlings of the 3 pine species most widespread in Turkey was investigated under greenhouse conditions. In all, 30 seedlings of each tree species were used for nematode inoculation. For inoculation, 1000-1100 nematodes in 0.5 ml of distilled water were used per seedling. An additional 20 seedlings of each tree species were inoculated with an equal amount of distilled water and served as controls. The first complete wilting case was observed in the fifth week of the experiment. The highest rate of mortality occurred in Pinus sylvestris seedlings (83%), followed by P. nigra (47%). Only 2 seedlings of P. brutia wilted (7%). These results suggested that B. mucronatus was highly virulent to P. sylvestris seedlings.

Keywords: Pinus sylvestris, Pinus nigra, Pinus brutia, Bursaphelenchus sp., pathogenicity, Turkey

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