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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #433867
Research Project: Crop Health and Genetic Improvement of Sub-Tropical and Tropical Crops in the Pacific

Location: Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research

Title: Integration of genetic data into the taxonomy of Meloidogyne konaensis necessitates the designation of Meloidogyne paranaensis as its junior synonym, and reveals a previously misclassified taxa from Brazil, Meloidogyne

Author
item WONG, LANDON - University Of Hawaii
item Myers, Roxana
item EISENBACK, JONATHAN - Virginia Tech
item SIPES, BRENT - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/25/2026
Publication Date: 3/30/2026
Citation: Wong, L.G., Myers, R., Eisenback, J.D., Sipes, B.S. 2026. Integration of genetic data into the taxonomy of Meloidogyne konaensis necessitates the designation of Meloidogyne paranaensis as its junior synonym, and reveals a previously misclassified taxa from Brazil, Meloidogyne pseudokonaensis n. sp. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 14:1769496. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2026.1769496.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2026.1769496

Interpretive Summary: Root-knot nematodes cause significant yield loss in coffee worldwide. Meloidogyne konaensis, Kona coffee root-knot nematode, is one of the most damaging, causing extensive destruction of the root system resulting in decline and eventually death of the tree. A comprehensive examination was conducted of its physical characteristics, enzyme profile, and DNA sequences of selected genes. These features were compared to published descriptions of coffee root-knot nematodes from other regions. It was concluded that the Kona coffee root-knot nematode was identical in all aspects to Meloidogyne paranaensis, Parana coffee root-knot nematode, first identified in Brazil. This nematode has also been found to infest coffee in Columbia, Costs Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico. These findings support renaming both species as Meloidogyne konaensis, American coffee root-knot nematode.

Technical Abstract: Accurate taxonomy is critical for correct diagnosis, effective regulation, host- resistance deployment, and informed management of root-knot nematodes. Recent genetic evidence indicates that several species within the Meloidogyne incognita group (MIG) require taxonomic revision. Our review of published diagnostic characters, combined with examination of a topotype culture of M. konaensis from coffee in Hawaii and preserved Brazilian specimens identified as M. paranaensis, shows that these taxa are indistinguishable morphologically, biochemically, and genetically. These findings support treating M. paranaensis as conspecific with M. konaensis. In contrast, a Brazilian Meloidogyne population referred to in the literature as M. konaensis differs markedly from true M. konaensis in morphology, biochemistry, genetics, and host range, indicating that the nematode was misidentified. Diagnostic features published for this misapplied taxon are sufficient to recognize it as a distinct species, and we herein designate it as M. pseudokonaensis n. sp. The longstanding confusion between M. konaensis, M. paranaensis, and the misidentified Brazilian population has hindered regulatory decision-making, disrupted resistance-breeding programs, and complicated the interpretation of research results. The taxonomic revisions proposed here resolve these inconsistencies, align nomenclature with biological reality, and provide a clearer framework for regulation, diagnosis, and management of MIG species.