A species-specific DNA probe for the identification of Meloidogyne hapla.

A species-specific DNA probe for the identification of Meloidogyne hapla. Nematropica 31:17-23. Here we report the development of a DNA probe specific to Meloidogyne hapla , among four species in the genus that we have studied. A small-insert genomic library from an isolate of M. hapla was constructed in the pBluescript vector. From the library, 3 200 clones were differentially screened against genomic DNA from M. arenaria , M. incognita and M. javanica . About 99% of the clones hybridized positively to the three nematode species. The clones that hybridized specifically to the genomic DNA from different M. hapla isolates were selected and further characterized by slot-blot and Southern blot analyses. Sequence analysis from one of the clones reveals a 171 bp A and T-rich DNA insert, and a 55-base DNA oligonucleotide specific to M. hapla isolates.