Abstract: The higher amount acid chemical composition in the pine wilt diseased wood caused by the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus resulted in a decline in pH-value compared with that of the healthy wood. Accordingly, the color reaction was useful for rapid quarantine detection by using a suitable pH-indicator to test the alcohol liquids extracted from the diseased and healthy wood crumb. Five pine species from Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang and Guangdong Provinces were tested. The results showed that the quarantine detection accuracy by using pH-indicator No.1 was 95% for Pinus thunbergii, 89% for P.massoniana,100% for P.densiflora,92% for P.teada. The method was available for the rapid quarantine detection of the pine species, but not for that of P.elliottii from Jiangsu Province. The color reaction was visual, accurate, simple, practical and rapid. The process was finished in 15 min. for one sample. Several samples could be detected at the same time.

Key words: Pine wilt disease, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, Rapid quarantine detection, Color reaction