First report on the introduction of pine wood nematode in Europe

Abstract

Pine wood nematodes are the pathogen of pine wilt which is most serious disease in East Asia. They have never been found in Europe, and European countries have felt threat to pine wilt disease because it can be epidemic to the indigenous species of pines in Europe. So, they have made wood trade restriction severely after the detection of pine wood nematodes in the imported wood tips. Regardless of their efforts, the pine wood nematodes were found in wilted trees of maritime pine forests at Setubal, near Lisbon in Portugal in 1999. The control programs of pine wilt disease are expected from scientific view points. We summarize the latest situation concerning the pine wood nematode in Europe.