Occurrence of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne arenaria on balm and in a mixed population with M. javanica on grapevine in Greece

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne arenaria was found in Greece infecting balm (Melissa officinalis L.) and grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). The isolate from balm was M. arenaria while the one from grapevine was a mixture of M. arenaria and M. javanica (prevalent species). This is the first report of the M. arenaria species in the country in which identification was based on biochemical methods and its occurrence on balm is a new host record.