Pine wilt disease, caused by pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner et Buhrer) Nickle, has become the most serious threat to pine trees in Korea since first reported in 1988. Pine wood nematode is transferred to uninfested trees by Monochamus alternatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) (vector). A typical controlling method against vectors in Korea is fumigation of the dead trees infested by vector M.alternatus and B.xylophilus using metam-sodium SL(25%). However, this method is harmful to the environment because of the chemical contamination and vinyl waste in the mountain afterward. Portable Bark Remover (PBR) was contrived to reduce these environmental problems. The vectors oviposite under the bark of the freshly dead trees only. Debark infested trees prohibited the vectors from oviposite and finally, vectors can not complete their life cycle. The PBR is a newly designed as a debarking device that is equipped on top of the chain saw engine allowing ease and rapid debarking of the infested trees at the controlling field. Debarking of freshly-dead trees can eliminate egg-laying and hatch places where between the wood and bark from vectors. The new method for vector controlling using the debarking device is expected to lower-price and high-efficiency comparing with other conventional methods such as “crushing”, “burning” and “fumigation”.

• Joon Bum Kim(Southern Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute)
• Kwang Sik Choi(Southern Forest Research Center, Korea Forest Research Institute)