What is pine wilt disease?

• The pine tree nematode is about 1mm in size. It inhabits a vector insect's body (Japanese pine sawyer, Sakhalin Pine Longicorn Beetle) and invades the tree through the wound when it gnaws the shoots. The invading nematode causes a disease that rapidly multiplies and blocks the passage of moisture and nutrients, causing the tree to die. After a single infection of the pinewood nematode, the pine tree's fatality rate is 100%

• Infected pines died in 80% in the current year and 20% in the following year.

• Tree species (pine trees) susceptible to pine wilt diseases are black pine, red pine, Japanese white pine.