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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #394463
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Managing Key Pests of Peach and Pecan

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Steinernema populi n. sp. (panagrolaimomorpha, steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode species from China

Author
item TIAN, CHENGLI - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item ZHU, FENG - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item LI, XINGYUE - Sichuan Academy Of Agricultural Science
item ZHANG, JINHUA - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item PUZA, VLADIMIR - Institute Of Entomology And Plant Pathology
item Shapiro Ilan, David
item ZHAO, DI - Shenyang Agricultural University
item LIU, JINWEN - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item ZHOU, JIANJUN - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item DING, YAN - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item WANG, JICHUN - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences
item MA, JUAN - Hebei Academy Of Agriculture & Forestry
item ZHU, XIAOFENG - Shenyang Agricultural University
item LI, MAOHAI - Jilin Academy Of Agricultural Sciences

Submitted to: Journal of Helminthology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/29/2022
Publication Date: 8/9/2022
Citation: Tian, C., Zhu, F., Li, X., Zhang, J., Puza, V., Shapiro Ilan, D.I., Zhao, D., Liu, J., Zhou, J., Ding, Y., Wang, J., Ma, J., Zhu, X., Li, M. 2022. Steinernema populi n. sp. (panagrolaimomorpha, steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode species from China. Journal of Helminthology. 96 : e57. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X22000426.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X22000426

Interpretive Summary: Nematodes are small round worms. Entomopathogenic nematodes (also known as beneficial nematodes) are natural biopesticides. They kill insects pests but do not harm humans or the environment and so they are attractive alternatives to chemical insecticides. To expand the use of beneficial nematodes one approach is to find new and better species. In this study, we report the discovery and description a new species of beneficial nematode; the nematode is named Steinernema populi. The nemaotde is relatively large among other species in the same group. The next step will be to determine if this new species has greater potential for controlling insect pests compared with nematode species that are already in commercial use.

Technical Abstract: Steinernema populi n. sp. was recovered by baiting from beneath poplar trees in China. Morphological and molecular features provided evidence for placing the new species into the ‘feltiae-kraussei-oregonense’ group. The new species is characterized by the following morphological features: third-stage infective juveniles with a body length of 1095 (973-1172) µm, a distance from the anterior end to excretory pore of 77 (70-86) µm, and a tail length of 64 (55-72) µm. The c ratio, D%, and E% of S. populi n. sp. are substantially greater than those of all other ‘feltiae-kraussei-oregonense’ group members. The first-generation males can be recognized by a spicule length of 66 (57-77) µm and a gubernaculum length of 46 (38-60) µm. The new species is further characterized by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and partial 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses show that S. akhursti and S. kushidai are the closest relatives to S. populi n. sp.