Enzyme phenotypes, specifically esterases (EST), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase (GOT) were used to characterise different species of Meloidogyne, mostly from Brazil and from some American countries. Esterase activity was highly polymorphic and was the most useful in the identification of the different species. Using this enzyme it is possible to characterise and identify the four major species: M. javanica, M. incognita, M. arenaria and M. hapla from a large collection of 111 populations of Meloidogyne spp. Another seven less common species (M. coffeicola, M. paranensis, M. konaensis, M. exigua, M. graminicola, M. oryzae, M. mayaguensis), with only one or a few populations of each, were studied and exhibited species-specific EST phenotypes. The two enzymes (EST and MDH) differentiated M. graminicola and M. oryzae. It was possible to detect atypical (unidentified) phenotypes: three from Brazil, one from the USA and another from Chile. The minor bands of esterase profiles provided information to detect intraspecific variability among some populations of M. incognita and six populations of M. exigua. Profiles of MDH permitted separation of two isolates of M. javanica from Brazil. Phénotypes enzymatiques de populations de Meloidogyne - Les phénotypes enzymatiques de l'estérase (EST), la malate déshydrogènase (MDH), la superoxide dismutase (SOD) et la glutamate-oxaloacétate transaminase (GOT) ont été utilisés de manière systématique afin de caractériser plusieurs espèces de Meloidogyne provenant principalement du Brésil et de quelques pays des régions américaines. C'est l'activité estérasique qui a présenté le plus grand polymorphisme et s'est montrée la plus utile dans la caractérisation des espèces. A l'aide de cette enzyme il a été possible de caractériser et d'identifier les quatre espèces majeures de Meloidogyne: M. javanica, M. incognita, M. arenaria, et M. hapla au sein d'une collection de 111 populations de Meloidogyne spp. Sept autres espèces moins fréquentes (M. coffeicola, M. paranensis, M. konaensis, M. exigua, M. graminicola, M. oryzae, M. mayaguensis) comportant seulement quelques populations de chaque espèces ont été étudiées et ont également montré des phénotypes estérasiques spécifiques. Les deux enzymes (EST et MDH) ont permis la différenciation de M. graminicola et de M.oryzae. Il a été également possible de détecter des phénotypes atypiques non encore identifiés chez trois populations originaires du Brésil, une des USA et une du Chili. Par ailleurs, les bandes mineures des profils estérasiques ont apporté des informations sur la variabilité intra-spécifique chez quelques populations de M. incognita et six populations de M. exigua, tandis que l'observation des profils enzymatiques de la malate déshydrogènase (MDH) a permis la distinction de deux populations de M. javanica du Brésil.

This paper focuses on the parasitic nematodes infesting bananas and plantains, particularly their symptoms of damage, biology and life cycle, pathotypes, survival and spread, economic importance and management measures (cultural, physical, chemical and biological control methods, and pest resistance).

Although it is commonly assumed that female sea turtles always return to the beach they hatched, the pathways they use during the years preceding their first reproduction and their natal origins are most often unknown, as it is the case for juvenile green turtles found in Martinique waters in the Caribbean. Given the oceanic circulation of the Guiana current flowing toward Martinique and the presence of important nesting sites for this species in Suriname and French Guiana, we may assume that a large proportion of the juvenile green turtles found in Martinique are originating from the Suriname–French Guiana beaches. To confirm this hypothesis, we performed mixed stock analysis (MSA) on 40 green turtles sampled in Martinique Island and satellite tracked 31 juvenile green turtles tagged in Martinique to (a) assess their natal origin and (b) identify their destination. Our results from MSA confirm that these juveniles are descendant from females laying on several Caribbean and Atlantic beaches, mostly from Suriname and French Guiana, but also from more southern Brazilian beaches. These results were confirmed by the tracking data as the 10 turtles leaving Martinique headed across the Caribbean–Atlantic region in six different directions and 50% of these turtles reached the Brazilian foraging grounds used by the adult green turtles coming from French Guiana. One turtle left the French Guianan coast to perform the first transatlantic migration ever recorded in juvenile green turtles, swimming toward Guinea‐Bissau, which is the most important nesting site for green turtles along the African coast. The extensive movements of the migrant turtles evidenced the crossing of international waters and more than 25 exclusive economic zones, reinforcing the need for an international cooperative network to ensure the conservation of future breeders in this endangered species.

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