Host Preference of Bursaphelenchus Lignicolus (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) and B. Mucronatus Shown by Their Aggregation to Pine Saps

Abstract

The pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus lignicolus, inoculated at the center of an agar plate dispersed equally to all radial directions, but after certain hours of incubation, the nematodes aggregated to the pine sap which was placed 3 cm from the center. To compare the affinity of three species of nematodes, B. lignicolus, B. mucronatus and Aphelenchus sp. for the saps from various pine species or oak, saps to be tested were placed on an agar plate at an equal distance from the center. More nematodes of B. lignicolus aggregated to the sap from any pine species tested than to the sap from oak, suggesting a closer affinity of this species for pine than for oak. On the contrary, Aphelenchus sp. preferably responded to the sap from oak. Some differences were observed in the affinity of B. lignicolus for the saps from different pine species, and B. mucronatus showed similar differences in the response to each pine sap but such differences did not reflect the host resistance (susceptibility) to the nematodes. © 1980, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.