Molecular phylogeny of several species of Hoplolaimina (Nematoda: Tylenchida) associated with turfgrass in Korea, with comments on their morphology

Abstract

Summary Seven species belonging to Suborder Hoplolaimina are characterised using integrative taxonomy, considering both morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the 28S-rRNA, ITS-rRNA and COI gene sequences. It is evident that, as more populations of Pratylenchus zeae are continuously characterised, the species continues to display an ever-increasing intraspecific genetic variation within the 28S-rRNA and ITS-rRNA genes. However, the COI gene sequences exhibit minimum intraspecific variation and thus might be the most powerful DNA barcoding marker for the precise identification of P. zeae and should therefore be recommended as a complementary technique in the identification process of the species. Pratylenchus zeae, Meloidogyne graminicola and Heterodera pratensis are characterised herein for the first time in Korea, while the presence in Korea of P. penetrans, P. scribneri, H. avenae, and M. marylandi, is molecularly confirmed.