"Pinewood nematode disease, now with proactive response and species conversion"

As pine wilt disease enters its third major outbreak period, the damage is rapidly spreading. This has led to the recognition that the existing reactive control strategy has its limitations, and there is a growing consensus on the need for a sustainable response strategy through proactive surveillance and species conversion. At the 'Pine Wilt Disease Control Success Strategy Seminar' held at the National Assembly Building on the 10th by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the chairman of the Agricultural, Forestry, Fisheries and Food Committee of the National Assembly, experts from the government, local governments, and civic organizations attended to discuss the direction of the national control strategy. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the number of infected trees with pine wilt disease increased sharply from 380,000 trees in 2022 to 1,490,000 trees this year. The number of infected trees increased by 65% compared to the ...