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Title: ROTYLENCHULUS SPECIES: IDENTIFICATION, DISTRIBUTION, HOST RANGES, AND CROP PLANT RESISTANCE

Author
item Robinson, Arin
item INSERRA, R - DPI, NEMATOLOGY SECTION
item CASWELL-CHEN, E - UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
item VOVLAS, N - ISTITUTO NEMATOLOGIA
item TROCCOLI, A - ISTITUTO NEMATOLOGIA

Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/17/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Reniform nematodes (Rotylenchulus spp.) are root parasites that occur throughout tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions of the world. Ten species are known. One is considered an important pathogen limiting the productivity of many crops throughout the world, and three others, which are relatively uninvestigated, are thought to be important root pests in certain regions. Information in more than 250 articles in the scientific literature was compiled to provide a nearly comprehensive description of what we now know about several aspects of this group of organisms, including their taxonomy, host ranges, impact on food and fiber crops, and the opportunities for reducing the damages they cause by developing resistant cultivars or by rotating susceptible crops with resistant crops. This information will be useful not only to researchers, consultants and farmers who wish to identify and control theses nematodes on farm land, but also to various regulatory agencies involved in inspecting and quarantining contaminated shipments of plants, tubers, bulbs, and corns.

Technical Abstract: The ten known species of Rotylenchulus are sedentary root parasites that occur largely in tropical and subtropical latitudes. They can be distinguished with a simple dichotomous key. Hundreds of studies have examined the biology, economic impact, and management of the type species, Rotylenchulus reniformis. Information also is available regarding the geographical distribution, host range, and histopathology induced by R. borealis, R. macrodoratus, R. macrosoma, and R. parvus. Relatively little is known regarding R. anamictus, R. brevitubulus, R. clavicaudatus, R. leptus, and R. sacchari. Rotylenchulus reniformis and R. parvus both appear to be cosmopolitanly distributed in warm latitudes; R. borealis, so far, has been reported primarily from Europe and Africa; R. macrodoratus has been found primarily in the Mediterranean region. There are clear differences in the abilities of R. reniformis, R. parvus, and R. borealis to parasitize various hosts. Rotylenchulus reniformis appears to have the widest host range and has been found to reproduce on 88% of the 423 plant species that have been examined. Many common weeds are good hosts. However, more than 50 crop or ornamental plants support little or no reproduction by most populations of R. reniformis. Examples include Allium cepa, Oryza sativa, Hordeum vulgare, Zea mays, several Crotalaria species, and resistant cultivars of Glycine max. Varying levels of resistance have also been found in cotton, olive, papaya, potato, sweet potato, tobacco, tomato, and various legumes. Most research on crop rotation and mixed cropping for management of R. reniformis has been done on cotton and soybean in the United States, and on legumes in India.