Diversity of root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne Göeldi, 1892 (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae) associated with olive plants and environmental cues regarding their distribution in southern Spain

Abstract

Root-knot nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne are recognised worldwide as a major production constraint in crops of primary economic importance. Knowledge of their diversity and prevalence, as well as the major environmental and agronomical cues for understanding their distribution in specific areas is of vital importance for designing control measures to reduce significant damage. We provide the first detailed information on the diversity, distribution and levels of Meloidogyne species infecting wild and cultivated olive soils in a wide-region in southern Spain that included 499 sampling sites. Overall Meloidogyne spp. were found in 6.6% of sampled olive plants, with 6.6% and 6.5% for cultivated and wild olive, respectively. We identified five previously described Meloidogyne spp. (Meloidogyne arenaria, M. baetica, M. hapla, M. incognita, M. javanica) and one new species (Meloidogyne oleae sp. nov.) which, characterized using integrative taxonomy, increases the known biodiversity of Meloidogyne spp. affecting olive. Meloidogyne arenaria and M. incognita were only found infecting cultivated olive varieties, while, M. baetica was only found infecting wild olive. Three major parameters drive the distribution of Meloidogyne spp. in cultivated olives in southern Spain, cover vegetation on alley, irrigation and soil texture, but different species respond differently to them. In particular the presence of M. incognita is highly correlated with sandy loamy soils, the presence of M. javanica with irrigated soils and cover vegetation, while the presence of M. arenaria is correlated with the absence of cover vegetation on alley and absence of irrigation. These parameters likely influence the selection of each particular Meloidogyne species from a major dispersal source, such as the rooted plantlets used to establish the orchards.

The nematicidal potentiality of some algal extracts and their role in enhancement the tomato defense genes against root knot - nematodes

“…The root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne Göldi, 1892 (Rhabditida: Meloidogynidae) belongs to the most economically important plant that causes serious damage to most agricultural crops worldwide (Archidona-Yuste et al 2018 and Gareeb et al 2019). Meloidogyne incognita is the most common species of root-knot nematodes that infects almost all cultivated plants, which makes it perhaps the most damaging of pathogens (Khalil and Darwesh 2018).…”

The quarantine root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii – a potential threat to Portugal and Europe

“…Currently, the Meloidogyne genus comprises more than 100 described species (Moens et al, 2009), 25 of which have been found in Europe (Wesemael et al, 2011;Archidona-Yuste et al, 2018;Santos et al, 2019). In Portugal, eight RKN species (M. arenaria, M. chitwoodi, M. hapla, M. hispanica, M. incognita, M. javanica, M. luci and M. lusitanica) have been found parasitizing several economically important crops (Pais & Abrantes, 1989;Abrantes & Santos 1991;Abrantes et al, 2008;Conceic ßão et al, 2009;Esteves et al, 2015;Maleita et al, 2018).…”

Evaluation of the Phytopathological Reaction of Wild and Cultivated Olives as a Means of Finding Promising New Sources of Genetic Diversity for Resistance to Root-Knot Nematodes

“…The olive tree rhizosphere has been found to be a good habitat for many species of plant-parasitic nematodes (Castillo et al 2010;Ali et al 2014). Only some of them, however, have been shown to be pathogenic or to directly feed on olive roots, among which one of the most widespread and damaging is the genus Meloidogyne (Castillo et al 2010;Ali et al 2014;Archidona-Yuste et al 2018). A number of species of this genus have been found to infect olive (Tarjan 1957;Minz 1961;Yang and Zhong 1980;Abrantes et al 1991;Castillo et al 2003;Archidona-Yuste et al 2018): M. javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood, 1949M.…”

“…Only some of them, however, have been shown to be pathogenic or to directly feed on olive roots, among which one of the most widespread and damaging is the genus Meloidogyne (Castillo et al 2010;Ali et al 2014;Archidona-Yuste et al 2018). A number of species of this genus have been found to infect olive (Tarjan 1957;Minz 1961;Yang and Zhong 1980;Abrantes et al 1991;Castillo et al 2003;Archidona-Yuste et al 2018): M. javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood, 1949M. incognita (Kofoid & White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949, M. hapla Chitwood, 1949, M. arenaria (Neal, 1889) Chitwood, 1949, M. lusitanica Abrantes & Santos, 1991, M. baetica Castillo, Vovlas, Subbotin & Troccoli, 2003, and M. oleae Archidona-Yuste, Cantalapiedra-Navarrete, Liebanas, Rapoport, Castillo & Palomares-Rius, 2018 The aforementioned Meloidogyne spp.…”