Supplement to the Journal of Nematology 32(4S):478–485. 2000. © The Society of Nematologists 2000. A Survey of Phytoparasitic Nematodes on Cultivated and Non-Cultivated Plants in Northwestern Egypt I. K. A. Ibrahim,1 Z. A. Handoo,2 and A. A. El-Sherbiny1 Abstract: Surveys were conducted in Alexandria, El-Behera, and Matrouh Governorates in northwest- ern Egypt during the 1994–1998 cropping seasons to study the occurrence, population density, host associations, and distribution of phytoparasitic nematodes associated with 35 major crops, grasses, and weeds. A total of 220 soil and root samples containing mixed populations of 26 genera and 38 species of phytoparasitic nematodes was analyzed; three known genera and 13 known species are reported for the first time in northwestern Egypt. Root-knot nematodes with 34 occurrences were the most frequently encountered group of nematodes, followed by spiral, stunt, ring, lesion, lance, and dagger nematodes with 19, 18, 15, 9, 8, and 7 occurrences, respectively. New species records are Boleodorus pakistanensis, Criconemella sphaerocephala, Discocriconemella sphaerocephaloides, Hemicriconemoides cocophilus, Hemicycliophora thienmanni, Hoplolaimus clarissimus, Irantylenchus clavidorus, Merlinius nanus, Paratylenchus projectus, Tylenchorhynchus ebriensis, Tylenchus afghanicus, T. exiguus, Xiphinema basilgoodeyi, and X. ensiculiferum. Survey results showed new host plant records for most of the identified nematode species in Egypt. Key words: Egypt, host plants, nematode, phytoparasitic nematodes. Previous studies in Egypt have shown the parasitic nematodes is that the nematodes presence of about 54 genera and 160 species present in many areas are unknown. The of phytoparasitic nematodes associated with objective of the present study was to identify many cultivated plants, grasses, and weeds phytoparasitic nematodes associated with (Abou El-Naga, 1979; Ibrahim, 1990, 1994; certain host plants in northwestern Egypt, Ibrahim et al., 1988, 1994; Ismail and Eissa, provide more extensive information on the 1993; Lamberti et al., 1996; Oteifa and Tar- distribution of genera and species of plant- jan, 1965; Oteifa et al., 1997; Tarjan, 1964). parasitic nematodes, and document their Many of these nematodes, e.g., Helicoty- presence and abundance to estimate the lenchus spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Meloidogyne level of infestation by each species that may spp., Pratylenchus spp., Rotylenchulus renifor- have a significant impact on agriculture in mis, Tylenchorhynchus spp., Tylenchulus semi- the region. penetrans, and Xiphinema spp., are consid- ered limiting factors in crop production in Materials and Methods Egypt (Ibrahim, 1990; Ibrahim et al., 1988, 1994; Oteifa and Tarjan, 1965; Tarjan, 1964). Nematological surveys were carried out in Information concerning the occurrence Alexandria, El-Behera, and Matrouh Gover- and distribution of phytoparasitic nema- norates from 1994 to 1998 (Fig. 1). A total of todes in Egypt is important to assess their 220 soil and root samples were collected potential to cause economic damage to from the rhizosphere region up to 15 cm many crop plants. One problem with deter- from the base of the plants and at a depth of mining the extent of crop loss due to plant- 15 cm in vegetable and field crops. In tree fruit crops, samples were collected 20–50 cm away from the base of the plants and up to Received for publication 3 November 1999. 1 Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Al- a 20–25-cm depth, depending on crop and exandria University, El-Shatby, Alexandria, Egypt, and 2Micro- its age. Soil samples were collected using biologist, USDA, ARS, Nematology Laboratory, Plant Sciences Institute, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD a standard (2.5-cm-diam., 30-cm depth) soil 20705-5107. probe. The root and soil samples were col- The authors thank Donna M. S. Ellington, Support Scientist, Nematology Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Beltsville, MD, for tech- lected from both the agricultural fields nical assistance. as well as landscape plantings. Environmen- Mention of a trade name, warranty, proprietary product, or vendor does not constitute a guarantee by the U. S. Department tal conditions during sampling time were of Agriculture and does not imply its approval to the exclusion clear sky and no rain; day temperature of other products or vendors that may also be suitable. E-mail: [email protected] was 24–33 °C and night temperature was This paper was edited by T.L. Kirkpatrick. 12–19 °C; flat lands; and soil was irrigated 478 Survey of Phytoparasitic Nematodes in Northwestern Egypt: Ibrahim et al. 479 Fig. 1. Map of Alexandria, El-Behera, and Matrouh Governorates in northwestern Egypt showing areas in which samples were taken. for cultivated plants. Mixed cropping was veyed host plants. Nematodes from a com- usually practiced, and a wide range of crops posite sample of 250 g soil were extracted by was grown under the traditional farming sys- means of Cobb’s wet-sieving and centrifugal tem. Soil types in Alexandria were sandy sugar flotation techniques (Ayoub, 1980). clay, while in El-Behera clay soils were Sieves used in nematode extraction were U. found, and in Matrouh the soil was sandy. S. Standard Sieve Series of 100, 200, and 325 Roots were washed free of soil and exam- mesh with openings of 149, 74, and 44 µ, ined for galling and root-knot infection. respectively. Nematodes were fixed in 2% Root-knot nematodes were isolated from hot formaldehyde solution, identified to ge- galled roots and identified by the examina- nus, and counted by stereo binocular micro- tion of perineal patterns of adult females as scope. Specimens were fixed in 5% formal- well as the characters of the second-stage ju- dehyde solution, processed to anhydrous veniles. Some roots showing lesions were cut glycerin (Seinhorst, 1959), and examined into small pieces and left in water for 36–48 under a compound microscope for species hours for the presence of any lesion and identification. Nematode identifications other nematodes. The host plant species were based on the morphology of adult and were selected because they were either com- larval forms (Brezeski, 1974; Dasgupta et al., mon, of economic importance, showing 1969; Esser, 1973; Germani and Baldwin, some disease symptoms (poor growth, yel- 1985; Golden, 1971; Goodey, 1963; Handoo, lowing, etc.), or had not previously been sur- 2000; Handoo and Golden, 1989, 1992; veyed for nematode infestation. All samples Mai and Lyon, 1975; Raski, 1975; Sher, 1966; were taken during the cropping season, Tarjan, 1973; Taylor and Sasser, 1978). Nema- April through October. About 4–5 soil tode density (nematodes per 250 g soil) was samples were collected from each of the sur- determined for each species and recorded. 480 Supplement to the Journal of Nematology, Volume 32, No. 4S, December 2000 Results and Discussion sities ranged from 1–250 nematodes/250 g soil. The soil samples from Alexandria gover- Species identification was not possible in norate contained 21 genera and 27 species several samples from the three governorates of phytoparasitic nematodes (Table 1). Spi- due to the recovery of limited number of ral (Helicotylenchus), root-knot (Meloidogyne), adult specimens and the presence of mostly lesion (Pratylenchus), stunt (Tylenchorhyn- juveniles. Consequently, only the informa- chus), and ring (Criconemella) nematodes tion on these genera are reported in Tables were most common. Many of the identified 1–3. Also, in all the samples several uniden- nematode species and the associated host tified (non-phytoparasitic) nematodes be- plants were either the first report of the longing to both Dorylaimid and Rhabditid nematode in Egypt or the first report of the groups were found. nematode associated with the host for Egypt. In the three governorates, date palm trees Most of these species were present at popu- appeared to be a suitable host plant for lation densities of 51–250 nematodes/250 g many nematode species, especially root-knot soil. Population densities of the genera Heli- nematodes. Both M. incognita and M. ja- cotylenchus, Hirschmanniella, Meloidogyne, vanica were found on roots of data palm in Paratylenchus, Rotylenchulus, Scutellonema, and Alexandria and El-Behera governorates, Tylenchorhynchus were relatively high on cer- while M. arenaria was detected on date palm tain host plants, while Criconemella, Discocri- roots in Matrouh governorate (Tables 1–3). conemella, Irantylenchus, Tylenchus, and Xiphi- The status of date palm as a good host for nema exhibited low population densities on Meloidogyne spp. reported by others (Hassan, some host plants (Table 1). 1998; Ismail and Eissa, 1993; Mani et al., Nematodes in 14 genera were extracted 1997; Youssef and Eissa, 1994) is supported from the soil samples from El-Behera gover- by this survey. norate (Table 2). Criconemella sphaerocephala, Xiphinema basilgoodeyi was associated with Hoplolaimus clarissimus, Meloidogyne incognita, painted copperleaf, common palmetto, and and Paratrichodorus minor were common on ornamental coconut palm in Alexandria most of the surveyed host plants. Soil governorate, while X. ensiculiferum occurred samples from date palm contained nine on date palm in El-Behera governorate. This nematode species, with Hemicriconemoides co- is the first report of these nematode species cophilus, Hemicycliophora thienemanni, and Xi- in Egypt and also a first report of these spe- phinema ensiculiferum recorded for the first cies on these hosts. A recent survey by Lam- time on date