/ investigación identification and haplotype designation of meloidogyn e spp . of arkansas using molecular diagnostics

Khanal, C., R. T. Robbins, T. R. Faske, A. L. Szalanski, E. C. McGawley, and C. Overstreet. 2016. Identification and haplotype designation of Meloidogyne spp. of Arkansas using molecular diagnostics. Nematropica 46:261-270. In this study, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing analysis were performed to identify Meloidogyne species present in Arkansas. A total of 106 soil and root samples from 36 of the 75 counties were collected, of which 79 contained root-knot nematodes. To identify species, PCR was performed using primers C2F3/1108 to amplify a region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of root-knot nematodes. Additionally, M. incognita specific primers were designed to confirm speciation, as M. incognita was the most abundant species that was identified in 54 of the 79 samples. Other species found in this survey were M. marylandi, M. haplanaria, M. hapla, M. arenaria, and M. partityla. Haplotype designation was performed for each species based on nucleotide variation. With a limited number of samples, this study designated distinct mtDNA haplotypes of Meloidogyne spp. endemic in Arkansas. Unlike previous reports, M. javanica and M. graminis were not detected from any of the samples collected during this study.