31st international symposium of European Society of Nematologists – Adana, Turkey, 23 – 27 September 2012 Survey of the PineWood Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in France: synthesis of ten years data. Folcher, L. 1, Paris, M.T.P. 1, Sarniguet, C. 1, Chappé, A.M. 1, Buisson, A. 1, Flot, J.L 3. & Anthoine, G. 1,2   1Anses, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety/Plant Health Laboratory – Nematology Unit – Domaine de la Motte au Vicomte, BP 35327, 35653 Le Rheu Cedex, France. 2Anses, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety/Plant Health Laboratory – Methods development and analysis Unit – 7 rue Jean Dixméras FR-49044 ANGERS cedex 01, France. 3Ministère de l’Agriculture, de l’Agroalimentaire et de la forêt – Département de la santé des forêts – 251, rue de Vaugirard, 75732 Paris Cedex 15, France. Distribution map of the quarantine pest B. xylophilus INTRODUCTION Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is a nematode of worldwide concern and a major threat for pine stands. In many countries it is listed as a quarantine pest. In the European Union, it has been considered so in the directive 2000/29/EC. The non-European populations of its vector Monochamus spp. are also regulated since 1990 (directive 90/490/EEC). In 1999, the detection of B. xylophilus in Portugal resulted in supplementing the EU legislation: in particular, since 2000, official annual surveys are required within the EU member states to allow early detection to prevent the introduction of this nematode. In the framework of this EU survey, France has currently a yearly objective of 650 samples, to be increased, reaching 1200 next year. Sampling is performed each year mainly in risk areas (areas around points of importation, wood processing industries) and on dying pines. Credit : EPPO Legend Present (national record) Present (subnational record) Transient French Forest Area Total superficie : 54,9 M ha Forest superficie : 16,1 M ha (29,4% of the territory) Conifer forest superficie : 4 M ha (24,8% of the forest area) MATERIAL AND METHODS Samples were analysed according to EU and EPPO recommendations (sampling regimes, handling, extraction and identification) Credit : Fredon Alsace Credit : Fredon Alsace Credit : LNPV Credit : Anses-LSV Credit : Anses-LSV Sampling was carried out on symptomatic or risk areas where different pine tree species are monitored such as : Pinus sylvestris, Pinus pinaster, Pinus nigra, Pinus halepensis ... Extraction process of nematodes involving Baermann modified technique Identification of nematodes groups and/or species were carried out by morphological technics and using additional molecular tools if necessary RESULTS From the 3194 samples analyzed from 2002 to 2011, no Bursaphelenchus xylophilus population was detected. The sampling area (Fig. 1) covered the most important regions for pine stands and sawmills. From the 3194 samples, 220 endemic and non-pathogenic Bursaphelenchus populations were isolated (Fig. 2), among which B. mucronatus, B. glochis, B. tusciae, B. pinasteri, B. piniperdae, B. poligraphi, B. eggersi, B. leoni, B. abietinus, B. vallesianus, B. teratospicularis, B. eggersi group, B. borealis group, B. leoni group, B. sexdentati group, and B. sp. Figure 1 - Distribution of pine sampling sites from 2002 to 2011 Figure 2 – Location of the Bursaphelenchus species identified from 2002 to 2011 CONCLUSION Among the 3194 samples collected from 2002 to 2011, B. xylophilus has never been identified, although some other non-pathogenic and endemic Bursaphelenchus species were sometimes detected in the pine samples. Besides, the presence of other Bursaphelenchus species is a good indicator of the samples quality. Improvement of French survey’s efficiency is planned in the forthcoming years by including vector’s trapping and analysis.