Morphological and molecular identification of plant parasitic nematodes in wheat fields of Eastern Anatolian Region (Türkiye)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify plant-parasitic nematodes molecularly and morphologically in wheat (Triticum spp.) fields in the Eastern Anatolia Region (Türkiye) between 2017-2019. For this purpose, a total of 258 soil samples were collected from 7 provinces (Erzincan, Elazığ, Erzurum, Iğdır, Kars, Malatya, and Sivas) in the Eastern Anatolia Region. Nematodes were morphologically identified using a light microscope at the genus (some of them species) level. DNA extraction was performed and PCR products were used to DNA sequencing and nucleotide analysis for 28S ribosomal DNA region by comparing the results with the database. According to the obtained data, a total of 20 genera and 7 species belonging to 2 orders and 9 families were identified: H. digonicus Perry, 1959; H. canadensis Waseem, 1961; H. vulgaris Yuen, 1964 (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae); Ditylenchus myceliophagus Goodey, 1958 (Nematoda: Anguinidae); Amplimerlinius macrurus (Goodey, 1932) (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae); Scutylenchus quadrifer (Andrassy, 1954); (Nematoda: Dolichodoridae), and Pratylenchoides alkani Yüksel, 1977 (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae). H. vulgaris was identified at the species level using molecular techniques. The rates of presence of economically important plant parasitic nematodes were determined as 73%, 43%, 36%, 33% and 28% for Ditylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Aphelenchus spp., Xiphinema spp. and Helicotylenchus spp. respectively. It is thought that the results obtained will help to plan nematode control methods in the region.