Detection of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne ethiopica in Greece

Root-knot nematodes (RKN), Meloidogyne spp., are very significant in agriculture because they can be found almost everywhere and have a wide host range. In summer 2009, two soil samples from maize and kiwi crops, from the area of Kavalla in North Greece, were analyzed for the presence of nematodes. RKN were detected in both samples and identified as M. ethiopica on the basis of biochemical (esterases) and sequence data (18S rDNA). Meloidogyne ethiopica poses a significant threat to farmers in Greece and the establishment and spread of this species has to be controlled. This is the first report of M. ethiopica in Greece and the second report of this species for Europe.