<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>From 2016 to 2021, nematode surveys in Florida strawberry fields revealed several species of foliar nematodes (<italic>Aphelenchoides</italic> spp.). <italic>Aphelenchoides besseyi sensu stricto</italic> was detected only in 2016 and 2017 on photosynthetic strawberry leaves/buds, but other not well characterized populations of <italic>Aphelenchoides</italic> sp. were found on declining/dessicated leaves. Morphological analyses showed that these samples of <italic>Aphelenchoides</italic> sp. consisted of <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic>, a species detected in Florida for the first time, and <italic>A. rutgersi</italic>, a species previously reported in Florida from the citrus rhizosphere. These two species differed from <italic>A. besseyi</italic> in the shape of their tail terminus: bifurcate in <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic>; mucronate with a ventral thin mucro in <italic>A. rutgersi</italic>; and stellate in <italic>A. besseyi</italic>. One population each of these species was used for morphological and molecular analyses after being reared on <italic>Monilinia fructicola</italic>. Body and tail length differences were observed among Florida <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic> and other populations from the Far East and South Africa. Phylogenetic analyses of the rRNA gene sequences showed that Florida <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic> grouped with those of species from South Korea, Taiwan, and the Netherlands and several other populations listed as <italic>Aphelenchoides</italic> sp. from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Japan, which were considered as representatives of <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic> in this study. Similarly, sequences of Florida <italic>A. rutgersi</italic> grouped with those from environmental samples in Japan and North Carolina, which were listed as <italic>Aphelenchoides</italic> sp. and were considered as representatives of <italic>A. rutgersi</italic> in this study. Photosynthetic strawberry leaf samples were free from both <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic> and <italic>A. rutgersi</italic>, indicating that these two species did not damage strawberry. They were associated with desiccated leaves and/or propagative stolons, usually infected by fungi, confirming that they are mycetophagous under field conditions in this study. Results of soybean leaf inoculation on moist filter paper containing <italic>A. bicaudatus</italic> specimens showed that this species could become phytophagous under artificial conditions. Nematodes penetrated the leaf epidermis and migrated into the mesophyll causing leaf tissue discoloration/necrosis, which remained localized within the infested area. Soybean leaf damage was almost negligible, and no nematode reproduction was observed in the inoculated soybean areas.</p>
</abstract>

From 2016 to 2021, nematode surveys in Florida strawberry fields revealed several species of foliar nematodes (Aphelenchoides spp.). Aphelenchoides besseyi sensu stricto was detected only in 2016 and 2017 on photosynthetic strawberry leaves/buds, but other not well characterized populations of Aphelenchoides sp. were found on declining/dessicated leaves. Morphological analyses showed that these samples of Aphelenchoides sp. consisted of A. bicaudatus, a species detected in Florida for the first time, and A. rutgersi, a species previously reported in Florida from the citrus rhizosphere. These two species differed from A. besseyi in the shape of their tail terminus: bifurcate in A. bicaudatus; mucronate with a ventral thin mucro in A. rutgersi; and stellate in A. besseyi. One population each of these species was used for morphological and molecular analyses after being reared on Monilinia fructicola. Body and tail length differences were observed among Florida A. bicaudatus and other populations from the Far East and South Africa. Phylogenetic analyses of the rRNA gene sequences showed that Florida A. bicaudatus grouped with those of species from South Korea, Taiwan, and the Netherlands and several other populations listed as Aphelenchoides sp. from Brazil, Costa Rica, and Japan, which were considered as representatives of A. bicaudatus in this study. Similarly, sequences of Florida A. rutgersi grouped with those from environmental samples in Japan and North Carolina, which were listed as Aphelenchoides sp. and were considered as representatives of A. rutgersi in this study. Photosynthetic strawberry leaf samples were free from both A. bicaudatus and A. rutgersi, indicating that these two species did not damage strawberry. They were associated with desiccated leaves and/or propagative stolons, usually infected by fungi, confirming that they are mycetophagous under field conditions in this study. Results of soybean leaf inoculation on moist filter paper containing A. bicaudatus specimens showed that this species could become phytophagous under artificial conditions. Nematodes penetrated the leaf epidermis and migrated into the mesophyll causing leaf tissue discoloration/necrosis, which remained localized within the infested area. Soybean leaf damage was almost negligible, and no nematode reproduction was observed in the inoculated soybean areas.

Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Two Mycophagous Nematodes, <italic>Aphelenchoides bicaudatus</italic> and <italic>A. rutgersi</italic> (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Florida Strawberry

Department of Entomology and Nematology, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

California Department of Food and Agriculture

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Journal of Nematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Two Mycophagous Nematodes,  and  (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Florida Strawberry

From 2016 to 2021, nematode surveys in Florida strawberry fields revealed several species of foliar nematodes (Aphelenchoides spp.). Aphelenchoides besseyi...

Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Two Mycophagous Nematodes, Aphelenchoides bicaudatus and A. rutgersi (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Florida Strawberry

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Jul 05, 2024

Page range: -

Received: Apr 29, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2024-0021

Keywords
facultative parasitism, foliar nematodes, ×, morphology, morphometrics, phylogeny, taxonomy

© 2024 Clemen J. Oliveira et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Morphological and Molecular Analysis of Two Mycophagous Nematodes, Aphelenchoides bicaudatus and A. rutgersi (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) from Florida Strawberry

Article Category: Research Paper

Published Online: Jul 05, 2024

Page range: -

Received: Apr 29, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2024-0021

Keywordsfacultative parasitism, foliar nematodes, ×, morphology, morphometrics, phylogeny, taxonomy

© 2024 Clemen J. Oliveira et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
facultative parasitism, foliar nematodes, ×, morphology, morphometrics, phylogeny, taxonomy