title: Efficacy of sulfuryl fluoride against the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Nematoda: Aphelenchidae), in Pinus pinaster boards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The pinewood nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is an important conifer disease worldwide. It is the direct cause of the death of millions of pines in south-east Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea) and has been established in Portugal since 1999. The phasing out of methyl bromide has created an urgent need for alternative treatment of wood packaging materials. The effect of sulfuryl fluoride (SF), a broad-spectrum fumigant used to control insects, was tested in Pinus pinaster boards naturally infested by PWN.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boards were fumigated for 24 h at three different temperatures (15, 20 and 30 °C) with dosage ranges of 3169-4407, 1901-4051 and 1385-2141 gh m(-3) respectively. Treated wood was sampled for nematode identification and counting, before treatment and after 24 h, 72 h and 21 days. No survival was found in the 15 °C and 30 °C treatments, while at 20 °C the mortality ranged from 94.06 to 100%. Some reasons for the survival at 20 °C are presented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results confirm SF to be an effective quarantine treatment for PWN at 15 and 30 °C. Further studies are needed to obtain the most effective dosage at 20 °C, and to determine the toxicity of SF fumigation on B. xylophilus at other temperatures, especially at 25 °C.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional dos Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luís F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bonifácio
authors.forename: Edmundo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Naves
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Inácio
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Mike J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Drinkall
authors.forename: Stanislas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buckley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028223:Pinus / Q000469:parasitology*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013441:Sulfinic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017187:Tylenchida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; C048899:sulfuryl fluoride
keywords: control; pesticide; pinewood nematode; quarantine