Nematodes associated with flowering ornamental plants in Mahallat, Iran

Abstract

In a survey conducted in June 2005 through May 2006, twenty-one nematode species were found associated with ten flowering ornamental plant species cultivated in Mahallat, Iran. Aphelenchus avenae, Aphelenchoides subtenuis, Boleodorus thylactus, Ditylenchus kheirii, D. myceliophagus, Filenchus sandneri, Irantylenchus vicinus, Helicotylenchus crassatus, H. crenacauda, H. digonicus, H. pseudodigonicus, H. pseudorobustus, H. vulgaris, Merlinius brevidens, Paratylenchus similis, Pratylenchus neglectus, P. penetrans, P. thornei, Tylenchorhynchus dubius and Zygotylenchus guevarai varied in their frequency of distribution amongst the ten plant species. This is the first report of nematodes found associated with ornamental plants in Mahallat, Iran, and the first detection of six nematode species in Iran. Morphological and morphometric variations that typified the Mahallat populations are given and discussed for certain nematode species. Similarities to Tylenchorhynchus dubius and T. canalis were observed in a population of Tylenchorhynchus and, consequently, T. canalis is herein proposed as a junior synonym of T. dubius.