Water relations, xylem embolism and histological features of Pinus thunbergii inoculated with virulent or avirulent pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

The development process of pine wilt disease caused by Bursaphelenchusxylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle, pine wood nematode,was studied ecophysiologically and histologically in relationto pathogenicity of B. xylophilus. Judging from the predawnxylem pressure potential of needles, the heat pulse velocity,and the soil water potential, the control Pinus thunbergii Parl.,used for the study, was not water-stressed. Virulent B. xylophilusisolate can kill non-waterstressed pines. In virulent B. xylophilusisolateinoculated pines, the predawn xylem pressure potentialof needles abruptly decreased when the colour of 1-year-oldneedles changed to brown and then the water conducting functionof the xylem was lost completely. Avirulent B. xylophilus isolatedoes not affect the needle colour and the xylem pressure potentialof pines. Avirulent B. xylophilus isolate-inoculated pines,however, responded to nematode invasion by decreasing hydraulicconductance of stem and root xylems. In addition, oleoresinexudation slightly decreased. The decreased hydraulic conductanceresults from embolism of tracheids caused by cavitation in thecentral part of the xylem. From histological observation, allof the parenchyma cells in virulent B. xylophilus isolateinoculatedpines died. In contrast, the parenchyma cells, degenerated inavirulent B. xylophilus isolateinoculated pines, were limitedin the embolized region of the xylem. The difference betweenthe response of pine to the virulent B. xylophilus isolate invasionand that to avirulent B. xylophilus isolate invasion indicatesthat nematode-induced death of pine relates to the death ofparenchyma cells, as well as the decrease in xylem hydraulicconductance. Key words: Embolism, hydraulic conductance, parenchyma cells, pathogenicity of pine wood nematode, pine wilt disease.