First finding of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus in pine plantations of the Republic of Armenia

In 2022–2023, a survey of drying coniferous plantations in 5 regions of the Republic of Armenia was conducted. Investigations were carried out in plantations of Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L. and Crimean pine Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.) Holmboe. A total of 125 wood samples were collected and analyzed. For the first time in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, single individuals of pinewood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer 1934) Nickle 1981 were found near Hankavan village (Kotayk Province). The nematodes were found in samples from several trees with signs of browning needles. Identification by morphological features corresponded to the description of nematodes of the genus Bursaphelenchus Fuchs, 1937 of xylophilus group. The results of molecular genetic analysis of a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) gene showed 100% compliance with the species B. xylophilus. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the identified nematodes are grouped into one cluster with isolates from China, Korea, Portugal, and Japan. It is necessary to thoroughly examine pine plantations on the territory of Armenia to accurately determine the size of the outbreak of this quarantine species.