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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 #396295
Research Project: Plant-associated Nematode Management and Systematics and USDA Nematode Collection Curation

Location: Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory

Title: First report of the beech leaf disease nematode Litylenchus crenatae mccannii (Nematoda: Anguinidae) in Michigan

Author
item Vieira, Paulo
item KANTOR, MIHAIL - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE)
item MEDINA-MORA, CARMEN - Michigan State University
item SAKALIDIS, MONIQUE - Michigan State University
item Handoo, Zafar

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/21/2022
Publication Date: 6/16/2023
Citation: Reis Vieira, P.C., Kantor, M.R., Medina-Mora, C.M., Sakalidis, M.L., Handoo, Z.A. 2023. First report of the beech leaf disease nematode Litylenchus crenatae mccannii (Nematoda: Anguinidae) in Michigan. Journal of Nematology. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-22-2468-PDN.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-22-2468-PDN

Interpretive Summary: The North American beech leaf disease (BLD) nematode, Litylenchus crenatae mccannii, has recently been found in several states and is capable of causing severe damage or even killing beech trees. In this study, the BLD nematode is identified with DNA and microscopic characters as occurring in Michigan. This information is important as it shows the BLD is spreading across the natural range of beech trees. Information from this work will assist forest pathologists, extension personnel and quarantine officials in the identification and tracking of this important tree pathogen.

Technical Abstract: Litylenchus crenatae mccannii is reported for the first time from the state of Michigan, USA. Different life nematode stages were isolated from leaves of a Fagus grandifolia tree presenting typical symptoms of beech leaf disease, i.e., swelling and darkening of interveinal leaf tissues. Nematodes were identified based on morphology and sequence analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and the D2D3 region of the 28S large subunit ribosomal DNA, which confirmed the identification of L. crenatae mccannii.