The Potential of <i>Esteya</i> spp. for the Biocontrol of the Pinewood Nematode, <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i>

The pinewood nematode (PWN), <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i>, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD) and a quarantine organism in many countries. Managing PWD involves strict regulations and heavy contingency plans, and present climate change scenarios predict a spread of the d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Microorganisms
Main Authors: David Pires, Cláudia S. L. Vicente, Maria L. Inácio, Manuel Mota
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-01-01
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/10/1/168
Description
Summary:The pinewood nematode (PWN), <i>Bursaphelenchus xylophilus</i>, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease (PWD) and a quarantine organism in many countries. Managing PWD involves strict regulations and heavy contingency plans, and present climate change scenarios predict a spread of the disease. The urgent need for sustainable management strategies has led to an increasing interest in promising biocontrol agents capable of suppressing the PWN, like endoparasitic nematophagous fungi of the <i>Esteya</i> genus. Here, we review different aspects of the biology and ecology of these nematophagous fungi and provide future prospects.
ISSN:2076-2607