An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia
Root-lesion nematodes (<i>Pratylenchus</i> spp.) reduce the yield and quality of cereal crops in Australia. Eleven of the ~90 species characterised are present in Australia, with those determined as economic pests of broadacre agriculture costing an estimated AUD 250 million annually. Tw...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Crops |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7655/5/2/19 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850183371852873728 |
|---|---|
| author | Rhys G. R. Copeland Sadia Iqbal Tefera T. Angessa Sarah J. Collins Michael G. K. Jones John Fosu-Nyarko |
| author_facet | Rhys G. R. Copeland Sadia Iqbal Tefera T. Angessa Sarah J. Collins Michael G. K. Jones John Fosu-Nyarko |
| author_sort | Rhys G. R. Copeland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Root-lesion nematodes (<i>Pratylenchus</i> spp.) reduce the yield and quality of cereal crops in Australia. Eleven of the ~90 species characterised are present in Australia, with those determined as economic pests of broadacre agriculture costing an estimated AUD 250 million annually. Two species, <i>P. curvicauda</i> and <i>P. quasitereoides</i>, recently re-described, were isolated from fields located in the grainbelt of Western Australia, but little is known about their distribution in the region surveyed in this study. To investigate this and possible co-infestations with other <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp., we surveyed seven commercial wheat, barley, and oat farms near Katanning, Cancanning, Kenmare, Duranillin, Darkan, and a barley seed-bulk nursery near Manjimup, all in the southwest grainbelt of Western Australia. Morphological and molecular characterisation of <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp. extracted from soil and plant roots indicated all fields surveyed were infested. Both <i>P. quasitereoides</i> and <i>P. curvicauda</i> were present as single or mixed populations with <i>P. penetrans</i> and/or <i>P. neglectus</i>, although they were not found in the same field. Analyses of the D2–D3 sequences of the identified nematodes indicated that the species found in Australia were distinct, particularly <i>P. quasitereoides</i> and <i>P. curvicauda</i>. This work suggests <i>P. curvicauda</i> is likely to be present more widely in the WA grainbelt. Expanding molecular diagnostic testing for <i>Pratylenchus</i> species in the region to account for both nematodes is urgently needed so effective management can be implemented. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7e3d8aef31744b5ea3370a53d7280ca1 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-7655 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Crops |
| spelling | doaj-art-7e3d8aef31744b5ea3370a53d7280ca12025-08-20T02:17:24ZengMDPI AGCrops2673-76552025-04-01521910.3390/crops5020019An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western AustraliaRhys G. R. Copeland0Sadia Iqbal1Tefera T. Angessa2Sarah J. Collins3Michael G. K. Jones4John Fosu-Nyarko5Crop Biotechnology Research Group, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Food Futures Institute, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaCrop Biotechnology Research Group, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Food Futures Institute, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaFormerly, Western Crop Genetics Alliance, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaDepartment of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Perth, WA 6151, AustraliaCrop Biotechnology Research Group, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Food Futures Institute, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaCrop Biotechnology Research Group, Western Australian State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Food Futures Institute, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, AustraliaRoot-lesion nematodes (<i>Pratylenchus</i> spp.) reduce the yield and quality of cereal crops in Australia. Eleven of the ~90 species characterised are present in Australia, with those determined as economic pests of broadacre agriculture costing an estimated AUD 250 million annually. Two species, <i>P. curvicauda</i> and <i>P. quasitereoides</i>, recently re-described, were isolated from fields located in the grainbelt of Western Australia, but little is known about their distribution in the region surveyed in this study. To investigate this and possible co-infestations with other <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp., we surveyed seven commercial wheat, barley, and oat farms near Katanning, Cancanning, Kenmare, Duranillin, Darkan, and a barley seed-bulk nursery near Manjimup, all in the southwest grainbelt of Western Australia. Morphological and molecular characterisation of <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp. extracted from soil and plant roots indicated all fields surveyed were infested. Both <i>P. quasitereoides</i> and <i>P. curvicauda</i> were present as single or mixed populations with <i>P. penetrans</i> and/or <i>P. neglectus</i>, although they were not found in the same field. Analyses of the D2–D3 sequences of the identified nematodes indicated that the species found in Australia were distinct, particularly <i>P. quasitereoides</i> and <i>P. curvicauda</i>. This work suggests <i>P. curvicauda</i> is likely to be present more widely in the WA grainbelt. Expanding molecular diagnostic testing for <i>Pratylenchus</i> species in the region to account for both nematodes is urgently needed so effective management can be implemented.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7655/5/2/19root-lesion nematodes<i>Pratylenchus</i> spp.<i>P. quasitereoides</i><i>P. curvicauda</i>plant-parasitic nematode managementAustralian grainbelt |
| spellingShingle | Rhys G. R. Copeland Sadia Iqbal Tefera T. Angessa Sarah J. Collins Michael G. K. Jones John Fosu-Nyarko An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia Crops root-lesion nematodes <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp. <i>P. quasitereoides</i> <i>P. curvicauda</i> plant-parasitic nematode management Australian grainbelt |
| title | An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia |
| title_full | An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia |
| title_fullStr | An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia |
| title_short | An Update on Root Lesion Nematode Species Infecting Cereal Crops in the Southwest of Western Australia |
| title_sort | update on root lesion nematode species infecting cereal crops in the southwest of western australia |
| topic | root-lesion nematodes <i>Pratylenchus</i> spp. <i>P. quasitereoides</i> <i>P. curvicauda</i> plant-parasitic nematode management Australian grainbelt |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7655/5/2/19 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rhysgrcopeland anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT sadiaiqbal anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT teferatangessa anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT sarahjcollins anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT michaelgkjones anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT johnfosunyarko anupdateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT rhysgrcopeland updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT sadiaiqbal updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT teferatangessa updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT sarahjcollins updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT michaelgkjones updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia AT johnfosunyarko updateonrootlesionnematodespeciesinfectingcerealcropsinthesouthwestofwesternaustralia |