Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection (Jun 2018)

First Report of the Cyst Nematode Heterodera mediterranea on Olive Trees in Tunisia

  • Ilhem Guesmi-Mzoughi,
  • Alberto Troccoli,
  • Elena Fanelli,
  • Vincenzo Radicci,
  • Hajer Regaieg,
  • Fathia Hadj-Naser,
  • Najet Horrigue-Raouani,
  • Francesca De Luca

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 69 – 77

Abstract

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A survey was conducted in Tunisia to detect the presence of plant parasitic nematodes associated to olive trees. A high infection of olive roots and soil by the cyst nematode Heterodera mediterranea was detected in olive orchards located in the region of Moknine (Monastir, Sahel of Tunisia). Integrative taxonomic approaches (morphological, morphometrical and molecular analyses) were carried out in order to characterize the Tunisian population of H. mediterranea. Phylogenetic analyses of the ITS region, the D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA gene and 18S rRNA gene highly supported that H. mediterranea from Tunisia belongs to the Schachtii group. So far, this is the first report of this nematode in Tunisia.

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