Diagnostic technique of pine wood nematode disease based on THz spectrum

Pine wood nematode disease, namely pine wilt disease, is caused by the invasion of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Bx) into pines. Once susceptible pines are infected by the nematode, the disease develops rapidly, the infected pines cease to exude oleoresin and die quickly. Hence it is called pine cancer. Given the fact that there are still no good methods in diagnosing the disease, here we propose to study the spectroscopic characteristics of pine wood nematode and diseased pine wood in the THz regime in order to look for a rapid spectroscopic discrimination method for the disease. Firstly, we measure the transmittances of a Bx sample, a B. mucronatus (Bm) sample, a healthy Pinus massoniana wood sample and a diseased P. massoniana wood sample by a superconducting heterodyne mixer at 500 GHz. And their characteristics are compared. Secondly, we measure the transmission characteristics of a Bx sample and a Bm sample by terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS). The measured time domain spectrums and corresponding frequency domain spectrums are compared to distinguish them from their absorption characteristics. Thirdly, we measure the transmission characteristics of a healthy P. massoniana wood sample and a diseased P. massoniana wood sample by THz TDS and compare their difference in THz absorption spectrum and diffraction dispersive spectrum to confirm the effect of Bx on P. massoniana by the absorption coefficient and refractive index. Some discussions are given for future development of the diagnostic technique of pine wood nematode disease based on THz spectrum.