Disease Note.

Transmission of the Pinewood Nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) to Six Pine Species by Monochamus carolinensis. E. J. Sikora, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801. R. B. Malek, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801. Plant Dis. 72:734. Accepted for publication 4 April 1988. Copyright 1988 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-72-0734A.

Monochamus carolinensis Olivier, the Carolina pine sawyer beetle, is the principal vector of the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner & Buhrer) Nickle, casual agent of pine wilt in the midwestern United States. Four experiments were conducted in the greenhouse to determine the feeding preference and vector capability of adult M. carolinensis among seven pinaceous conifers commonly planted in Illinois. Newly emerged beetles from dead, B. xylophilus- infected Pinus resinosa Ait. and P. sylvestris L. were caged with different combinations of potted, 2-to5-year-old P. banksiana Lamb., P mugo Turra, P. nigra Arnold, P. resinosa, P. strobus L., P. sylvestris, and Picea pungens Englem. for 14-18 days. Beetle feeding damage was evaluated and stems of trees were analyzed for the nematode. Beetles fed on all conifers but favored Pinus spp. over Picea pungens. No feeding preference among the species of pine was established. Beetles transmitted the nematode to and pine wilt developed in low numbers of trees in all six species of pine but did no transmit the nematode to Picea pungens, in which pine wilt is not known to occur. This is the first record of transmission of B. xylophilus by M. carolinensis under controlled conditions to live pines of the five species other than P. sylvestris.