Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 37 mins ago
Hoengseong tests fungus treatment as pine wilt disease spreads
Hoengseong County in South Korea is testing a fungus treatment as pine wilt disease continues to spread.
The county injected a solution containing a naturally occurring fungus into 1,300 pine trees on a hill behind Hoengseong Hyanggyo on November 10.
Pine wilt disease has been detected across most of the county, and 53% of its land is under restrictions on moving pine trees.
The county recorded 741 infected trees in 2024, 456 last year and 699 by early November this year.
It has already used tree removal, clear-cutting and injections, but the spread has led officials to try another method.
The county will check how well the fungus works and whether it can be used in the field before deciding whether to include it in future control work.
Hoengseong County has begun testing a fungus treatment on 1,300 pine trees as pine wilt disease continues to spread.
The treatment was applied on November 10 to trees on 1.4 hectares behind Hoengseong Hyanggyo.
The county is adding the trial to existing measures, including removing infected trees, clear-cutting and injecting trees.
It will assess the treatment’s effectiveness and whether it can be used in future control work.
- Who
- Hoengseong County and Daedeok Bio carried out the trial.
- What
- They injected a cultured natural-enemy fungus solution into 1,300 pine trees.
- When
- November 10, 2026.
- Where
- A 1.4-hectare area behind Hoengseong Hyanggyo in Hoengseong County, South Korea.
- Why
- Pine wilt disease is continuing to spread, and the county is testing another way to limit forest damage.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hoengseong County confirmed 741 infected trees.
The county confirmed 456 infected trees.
The county and Daedeok Bio applied fungus solution to 1,300 pine trees.
The county said it would assess the treatment’s effectiveness and possible future use.
- Trees treated
- 1,300 pine trees
- Treatment area
- 1.4 hectares behind Hoengseong Hyanggyo
- Quarantine area
- 52,249 hectares across seven townships, 53% of the county’s area
- Infected trees in 2024
- 741
- Infected trees in 2025
- 456
- Infected trees by early November 2026
- 699
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What people are saying
Existing control measures alone have made it difficult to stop the spread, so we introduced a new method.