MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES WITH FIVE NEW HOST RECORDS FROM PAKISTAN

During nematode surveys in the different regions of the country, high infestation of root-knot nematodes were found. On morphological characterization these RKN species were identified as Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica. Molecular characterization of 16 strains of these root-knot nematodes were also done and incorporated herein including three new species. The 18S rDNA of 16 strains of Meloidogyne spp., were amplified and directly sequenced. Phylogenetic trees based on alignments of these sequences were constructed using distance, parsimony and likelihood optimality criteria. The molecular characterization of 16 strains of RKN was done for the first time from Pakistan. Moreover, during the studies M. incognita and M. javanica were found associated with five new hosts viz., Feverfew (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), olive (Olea europaea L.), malabar spinach (Basella rubra L.), canna (Canna indica L.) and dehla (Jasminium multiflorum Burm. f.) not reported earlier. The molecular analysis of these RKN species associated with new host records are in progress.