Removal of Pinus armandii Franch. var. amamiana (Koidz.) Hatusima trees killed by pine wilt disease in the Kinari National Forest on tanega-shima Island, southwestern Japan

Abstract

In January 2004, 13 dead Pinus armandii var. amamiana trees and seven dead P. thunbergii trees were found in the new population of P. armandii var. amamiana that had been discovered in the Kinari National Forest on Tanega-shima Island, southwestern Japan, in September 2003. Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, the pathogen causing pine wilt disease, was detected in wood chip samples from seven of ten dead P. armandii var. amamiana and six out of seven dead P. thunbergii. To prevent pine wilt disease from spreading in this population, all of the dead pine trees were felled and cut into logs approximately 50cm in length, and all logs and branches >1cm in diameter were removed from the forest by local volunteers in March 2004, then were used as firewood at "Tanega-shima Yaki" pottery. Based on these activities, we present management schemes for local NPOs and governments for monitoring and eradicating trees infected by pine wilt disease in order to conserve the natural population of P. armandii var. amamiana.