Miexianling: a novel dual-action pesticide for sustainable pine wilt disease management through integrated beetle and nematode control
摘要
Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pinewood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) and vectored by pine sawyer beetles (Monochamus spp.), poses a serious global threat to pine forests. Conventional management strategies, such as using thiacloprid for beetle control and emamectin benzoate (EB) trunk injections for nematode suppression, are constrained by rapid chemical degradation, labor-intensive application procedures, and high costs. Here, we present Miexianling, a novel dual-action formulation combining thiacloprid and EB, specifically developed for the simultaneous control of both nematodes and beetles via aerial spraying. Field trials demonstrated that applications conducted approximately one month after beetle emergence achieved optimal efficacy. Miexianling successfully rescued trees at early infection stages (Grade 1) and eradicated nematodes in Grade 2 trees, without detectable phytotoxicity based on chlorophyll, malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) analyses. Laboratory bioassays confirmed potent nematicidal activity (LC90 = 15.72 μg/mL) and significant suppression of beetle feeding and survival. Large-scale forestry trials further showed that Miexianling treatment maintained survival rates of infected trees above 94.63% and reduced the density of newly dead trees by 72.29% without requiring additional labor-intensive removal of dead trees. Soil residue monitoring confirmed environmental safety, with active ingredient concentrations declining to undetectable levels within 100 days post-application. Collectively, these findings highlight Miexianling as an efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable solution for large-scale integrated management of PWD, with high adaptability across diverse forest ecosystems.