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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #394149
Research Project: Plant-associated Nematode Management and Systematics and USDA Nematode Collection Curation

Location: Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory

Title: Molecular and morphological characterization of Tylenchus zeae n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchida) from Corn (Zea mays) in South Carolina

Author
item KANTOR, MIHAIL - Orise Fellow
item Handoo, Zafar
item SUBBOTIN, SERGEI - California Department Of Food And Agriculture
item Mowery, Joseph
item Hult, Maria
item Rogers, Stephen
item Skantar, Andrea

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/11/2023
Publication Date: 2/27/2023
Citation: Kantor, M.R., Handoo, Z.A., Subbotin, S.A., Mowery, J.D., Hult, M.N., Rogers, S.T., Skantar, A.M. 2023. Molecular and morphological characterization of Tylenchus zeae n. sp. (Nematoda: Tylenchida) from Corn (Zea mays) in South Carolina. Journal of Nematology. 55(1):1-13. https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2023-0003.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2023-0003

Interpretive Summary: Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on plants and cause an estimated ten billion dollars of crop losses each year in the United States and 100 billion dollars globally. Certain nematodes are a threat to the production of corn, valued at $168.8 million in South Carolina. In this study, a team of ARS scientists from Beltsville, MD and a colleague from California analyzed anatomical and molecular traits to identify a new species of tylenchid nematode called Tylenchus zeae n. sp., that was isolated from corn in South Carolina. This study is significant because it provides a thorough description of this brand new species and distinguishes it from other similar species. This report will serve as a useful guide to researchers and diagnosticians identifying important tylenchid nematodes from corn and other crops.

Technical Abstract: Specimens of the tylenchid nematode, Tylenchus sp. were recovered in 2019 from soil samples collected from a corn field, located in Pickens County, South Carolina, USA. A moderate number of Tylenchus sp. adults (females and males) were recovered. Extracted nematodes were examined morphologically and molecularly for species identification which indicated that the specimens of the tylenchid adults were a new species and is described herein as Tylenchus zeae n. sp. Morphological examination and the morphometric details of the specimens were very close to the original description of Tylenchus sherianus and T. rex. However, the females of the new species can be differentiated from them by the body shape and length, the shape of excretory duct, the distance between anterior end to esophageal intestinal valve and few other characteristics given in the diagnosis. Males of the new species can be differentiated from the two closely related species by tail, spicules, and gubernaculum length. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rRNA gene sequences placed Tylenchus zeae n.sp. in a clade with Tylenchus arcuatus and several Filenchus spp. while the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (COI) gene region separated the new species from T. arcuatus and other tylenchid species.