Work

Sensitivity evaluation and multi-omics analysis of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus populations to emamectin benzoate in Shandong province field

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Pine trees provide substantial ecological and economic benefits worldwide, including water conservation, timber production, and carbon sequestration. However, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus , as the pathogen of pine wilt disease (PWD), results in extensive pine mortality annually, posing a serious threat to global pine resources and environmental security. Currently, chemical control remains the primary strategy for managing PWD. In Shandong Province, emamectin benzoate (EB) is the main nematicide for trunk injection. Nevertheless, long-term use of a single compound carries a high risk of resistance development. In this study, the sensitivity of 15 B. xylophilus strains from different regions of Shandong Province to EB was evaluated. The highest and lowest LC 50 values were observed in the PL (320.99 μg•mL -1 ) and CD strains (114.63 μg•mL -1 ), respectively, yielding a resistance ratio (PL vs CD) of 2.8 < 5, indicating that EB resistance may not have developed in the B. xylophilus populations in Shandong. After EB treatment, the PL strain exhibited significantly higher detoxification enzyme activities and lower accumulation of toxic aldehydes than the CD strain. Multi-omics analysis was further performed to explore the molecular basis for the different sensitivity, leading to the identification of the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway and BX03G0588 as the potentially responsive pathway and candidate gene, respectively. Following ds0588 treatment, the sensitivity of the PL strain to EB was significantly enhanced, confirming the function of BX03G0588 relating to the sensitivity of nematode. This study provided new insights into the development of resistance and sustainable management strategies against PWD.

Source: Frontiers in Plant Science

DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2026.1894612