Nematodes of the family Pratylenchidae in the rangelands and forests of Kerman province: First report of Pratylenchus dakotaensis in Iran

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 PhD. student, Department of Plant protection, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Iran

2 Professor of Plant Pathology, Department of Plant Protection, School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Rangeland and forest ecosystems in Kerman province are vital to sustaining arid and semi-arid environments. Plant parasitic nematodes, despite being present in all ecosystems, they are often overlooked due to their hidden nature. Among them, root endoparasitic nematodes of the family Pratylenchidae are particularly important. In this study, 32 nematode species of the superfamily Tylenchoidea, including five species of Pratylenchidae, were collected and identified in the rhizosphere of rangeland and forest plants in Kerman Province. The identified species include Hirschmanniella gracilis from meadow-grasses; Zygotylenchus guevarai from Cynodon dactylon and Mentha longifolia; Pratylenchus neglectus from wild almond, meadow-grasses and alhagi; and P. thornei from barberry, meadow-grasses, tamarisk, wild chamomile and reed. Additionally, P. dakotaensis was identified in one soil sample from the rhizosphere of meadow-grass, based on morphometric and morphological characteristics. This species is characterized by a head with three annuli, areolated outer bands of the lateral field (mainly at the anterior and posterior ends of the body), a conical tail with a blunt end and irregular annulation, and the presence of males. This is the first report of P. dakotaensis from Iran. Among the identified species of the family, P. thornei was the most widespread and diverse host rang species, and the most common habitat for root lesion nematodes and H. gracilis was meadow-grass. This study highlights root-lesion nematodes as significant contributors to vegetation damage in Kerman province’s rangeland and forest ecosystems, with potential risk to neighboring agricultural lands.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume 59, Issue 4
January 2025
Pages 298-324

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