Scientific publications

The Pine Wood Nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer) Nickle is one of the most important quarantine pests worldwide. This nematode is a major pathogen of conifers where it causes massive wilting and death of trees. It has been estimated that the introduction and establishment of B. xylophilus into Russia would have an economic impact amounting to 50–112 billion rubles a year. At present the PWN is officially considered not to be present in the Russian Federation; however, conditions are suitable for the nematode in much of the Russia. Detection surveys for the PWN have been made in several regions of Russia, including the Moscow and Sakhalin regions plus Krasnoyarsk, Zabaykalsky, Primorsky, Khabarovsk, Altai Krai and Altai Republic. Nematodes were extracted from wood samples using the funnel method (24-hour extraction priod). The nematodes were identified using a molecular diagnostic method – FLASH-PCR with 1349 samples of pine (Pinus sylvestris, P. sibirica, P. korajensis, Pinus pumila), silver fir (Abies alba, A. nephrolepis), fir (Picea korajensis) and Kayander larch (Larix cajanderi) being analyzed for PWNs. Several nematode species of various taxonomic groups were extracted from 33.1 % of the 1349 samples. Although B. xylophilus was not found in any of the samples a closely-related nematode, B. mucronatus, was found in 11.5 % of all the samples. Busaphelenchus. mucronatus was found most often in wood samples from Zabaykalsy krai (50 %). Surveys of forest plantations are expected to be conducted in future.