Description of seven new species and one new record of plant-parasitic nematodes (Nematoda: Tylenchida) associated with economically important crops of Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir (Part-1 of the series)

Authors: Handoo, Zafar; KANTOR, MIHAIL - Orise Fellow; KHAN, EKRAMULLAH - Indian Agricultural Research Institute

Submitted to: Pakistan Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/12/2020
Publication Date: 11/22/2020
Citation: Handoo, Z.A., Kantor, M.A., Khan, E. 2020. Description of seven new species and one new record of plant-parasitic nematodes (Nematoda: Tylenchida) associated with economically important crops of Kashmir Valley, Jammu and Kashmir (Part-1 of the series). Pakistan Journal of Nematology. 38(2):110-123.

Interpretive Summary: Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that cause an estimated ten billion dollars of crop losses each year in the United States and 100 billion dollars globally. Spiral, lesion, ring and other nematodes like Boleodorus are the most economically important groups of plant-parasitic nematodes that damage the roots of many kinds of plants worldwide. One problem with these nematodes is that growers have no idea of how many kinds of these nematodes exist. Some nematodes infect turf grass (Poa annua L.) in golf course greens, which are important and are specifically developed to provide a smooth playing surface for golfers to enjoy. In this study, a team of ARS scientists in collaboration with a retired colleague from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi analyzed anatomical traits to identify various plant-parasitic nematodes isolated from vegetable and fruit crops of the Jammu and Kashmir state. This discovery is significant because new morphological information obtained from these new species will facilitate future identifications of these plant-parasitic nematodes. This report will serve as a useful guide to researchers and diagnosticians identifying important nematodes from the various nematode genera.

Technical Abstract: During a survey conducted from 1973-1977 by the senior author (ZH) of soil and plant- parasitic nematodes of vegetable and fruit crops of Kashmir valley, Jammu & Kashmir, seven new species and one new record of following species were recovered: Helicotylenchus siddiqii sp. nov. from soil around roots of Glycine max, from Kashmir University Campus, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Kashmir; H. fotedari sp. nov. from soil around roots of Brassica oleraceae var.botrytis from Zadibal, Srinagar, Kashmir; H. harwaniensis sp. nov. from soil around roots of Lycopersicum esculentum, in Harwan, Srinagar, Kashmir; H. mushtaqi sp. nov. from soil around roots of Brassica oleracea var.capitata in Darbagh, Harwan, Kashmir; Pratylenchus badamwariensis sp. nov. from the roots of Prunus amygdalus Batsch, in Badarnwari, Hawal, Srinagar, Kashmir; Boleodorus seshadrii sp. nov. from soil around roots of Glycine max, in Aru, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir; Macroposthonia iqbali sp. nov. from soil around roots of Pyrus malus, from Kashmir University Campus, Srinagar, Kashmir; and Pratylenchus ekrami Bajaj & Bhatti, 1984 from the roots of Solanum tuberosum in Narwara, Srinagar, Kashmir, which represents a new record of this species from the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Morphological and morphometric details, line drawings along with description, characteristics, diagnosis and relationships of each new species with its closely related species are given.