Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in Greece.

Abstract

The information presented in the current work on the occurrence of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in Greece was extracted from the literature and unpublished studies conducted by the authors. The species M. javanica, M. incognita, M. arenaria, M. hapla, M. artiellia and M. exigua had been reported during the period 1963-1994 to occur on various host plants and species identification was based on morphological characters. Since 1996, 52 isolates from Crete and 9 isolates from the mainland of Greece were identified using molecular and/or biochemical markers. The species found were M. javanica, M. incognita and M. arenaria. Twenty-six of these isolates were identified as M. javanica (19 isolates), M. incognita (5 isolates) and M. arenaria (2 isolates) on the basis of the esterase phenotypes. All M.javanica isolates exhibited the typical J3 phenotype except one from Crete, which exhibited the J2 phenotype. The M. incognita and M. arenaria isolates revealed the 11 and A2 phenotypes, respectively. Finally, the infestation of potato tubers by a M. javanica isolate (phenotype J3) is reported for the first time in Greece.