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Title: PHYTOPARASITIC NEMATODES ON CULTIVATED AND NON-CULTIVATED PLANTS IN NORTHWESTERN EGYPT

Author
item IBRAHIM, I - ALEXANDRIA UNIV, EGYPT
item Handoo, Zafar
item EL-SHERBINY, A - ALEXANDRIA UNIV, EGYPT

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/5/2000
Publication Date: 12/1/2000
Citation: Ibrahim, I.K., Handoo, Z.A., El-Sherbiny, A.A. 2000. Phytoparasitic nematodes on cultivated and non-cultivated plants in northwestern egypt. Journal of Nematology (Annals of Applied Nematology) 32:478-485.

Interpretive Summary: Nematodes are microscopic worms that cause an estimated 100 billion dollars worth of crop loss in the world each year. One problem with determining the extent of nematode damage to crop plants is that the plant-parasitic nematodes present in many areas are not known. No detailed survey of plant nematodes in Northwestern Egypt has previously been made, though occasional reports on individual species in limited areas have been published. Observations have suggested that these reported nematodes might be more widespread than recognized and that unidentified plant nematodes also exist in the area. The objective of this work is to document some economically important nematode species that exist in the above specified region. This paper by Egyptian and ARS scientists reports the survey, identification, population density, host association and distribution of phytoparasitic nematodes from 220 soil and root samples on 35 major crops, grasses and weeds of Northwestern Egypt. This research revealed the presence of 42 economically important plant nematodes belonging to 24 genera of which 13 are reported in Egypt for the first time, along with several new host plant records. Root-knot nematodes were the most frequently encountered group of nematodes followed by spiral, lance, lesion, ring, stunt and dagger nematodes respectively. There results will aid growers and extension agents in planning cropping systems, and will serve as a useful guide to researchers in planning future research and revising quarantine strategies.

Technical Abstract: Surveys were conducted in Alexandria, El-Behera and Matrouh Governorates in Northwestern Egypt during the 1994-1998 cropping seasons, to study the occurrence, population density, host association and distribution of phytoparasitic nematodes associated with 35 major crops, grasses and weeds. A total of 220 soil and root samples containing mixed populations of about 24 genera and 42 species of phytoparasitic nematodes was analyzed; 3 known genera and 13 known species are reported for the first time in the region. Root-knot nematodes were the most frequently encountered group of nematodes followed by spiral, lance, lesion, ring, stunt and dagger nematodes respectively. The new records of species are in 12 genera: Boleodorus pakistanensis, Criconemella sphaerocephala, Discocriconemella sphaerocephaloides, Hemicriconemoides cocophilus, Hemicycliophora thienmanni, Hoplolaimus clarissimus, Irantylenchus clavidorus, Merlinius nanus, Paratylenchus projectus, Tylenchorhynchus ebriensis, Tylenchus afghanicus, Tylenchus exigus, Xiphinema basilgoodeyi, Xiphinema ensiculiferum. The results showed new host plant records for most of the identified nematode species in Egypt.