Occurrence of the nematode Rotylenchulus parvus (Williams 1960) Sher, 1961, a semi-endoparasite of sugarcane roots from Khuzestan Province, Iran

Document Type : Short Report

Authors

1 Nematology Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection

2 Nematology Research Department, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Sugarcane is one of the most important industrial crops worldwide and the main source of sugar, as well as by-products such as molasses, alcohol, ethanol, and bagasse. In Iran, particularly in Khuzestan Province, it has strategic importance due to its large cultivated area and its key role in sugar production and related industries. Therefore, identifying damaging agents, including plant‑parasitic nematodes in sugarcane fields, is essential. During a survey conducted in November 2025 in sugarcane fields of Khuzestan, symptoms such as reduced growth and relative dwarfing compared to healthy plants were observed. Consequently, soil and root samples were collected from symptomatic plants and examined in the laboratory using standard nematological methods. Roots were also stained with acid fuchsin after washing. A nematode with characteristic features of the genus Rotylenchulus was detected in the soil and root samples and was identified through morphological and morphometric studies as Rotylenchulus parvus, which was in complete agreement with the original descriptions of this species. The genus Rotylenchulus has sexual dimorphism; immature females are vermiform, while mature females are swollen and reniform, and the species is a semi-endoparasite mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. The population density of immature females in soil samples was estimated at 520 in 100 cm³ of soil. Considering its obligate parasitic nature and the high abundance of mature females in roots, its potential to cause yield loss in sugarcane is not unexpected. This is the first report of the presence of R. parvus from sugarcane in Iran.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume 61, Issue 3.4
February 2025
Pages 227-231

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