Meloidogyne kikuyensis

 

Contents

 

Rev 07/02/2024

Kikuyu Grass Root-knot Nematode Classification Hosts
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Meloidogyne Menu Economic Importance Damage
Distribution Management
Return to Meloidogynidae Menu Feeding  References
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Classification:

      Tylenchida
       Tylenchina
        Tylenchoidea
          Meloidogynidae
           Meloidogyninae


        Meloidogyne kikuyensis De Grisse, 1961

Review general characteristics of the genus Meloidogyne.

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Morphology and Anatomy:

This species is reported to have only 7 chromosomes, similar to M. spartinae, rather than the n=13-19 of most root-knot nematode species. The chromosomes of M. kikuyensis are larger than those of most other Meloidogyne species  (Eisenback and Viera, 2020).

Female:

 

 

Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

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Distribution:

Reported fro, kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) in Kenya and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) in South Africa (Eisenback and Viera, 2020).

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Economic Importance:

 

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Feeding:

Sedentary endoparasite.

   Feeding site establishment and development typical of genus. 

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Hosts:

.Type Host: Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum)

For an extensive host range list for this species, click
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Life Cycle:

 

Ecophysiological Parameters:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this species, click If species level data are not available, click for genus level parameters

Chromosome number n=7. Reproduction by amphimixis (Triantaphyllou, 1985; Eisenback and Viera, 2020; Subbotin et al., 2021).

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Damage:

Causes small nodule-like galls on roots. Giant cells seem to be formed by disoolution of cell walls, as occurs with cyst nematodes, rather than by hypertrophy and nuclear division without cell divison.

The vascular tissues supplying the giant cells are at right angles to the vascular cylinder of the main root.

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Management:

Resistance

Host Plant Resistance, Non-hosts and Crop Rotation alternatives:

For plants reported to have some level of resistance to this species, click
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References:

De Grisse, A. 1961. Meloidogyne kikuyensis n.sp., a parasite of kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) in Kenya. Nematologica 5:303-308.

Eisenback, J.D., Viera, P. 2020. Additional notes on the morphology and molecular data of the Kikuyu root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne kikuyensis (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae). J. Nematology 52: | DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2020-067

Subbotin, S.A. Palomares-Rius, J.E., Castillo, P. 2021. Systematics of Root-knot Nematodes (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae). Nematology Monographs and Perspectives Vol 14: D.J. Hunt and R.N. Perry (eds) Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands 857p.

Triantaphyllou, A.C. 1985. Gametogenesis and the chromosomes  of Meloidogune nataliei: not typical of other root-knot nematodes. J. Nematology 17:1-5.

Triantaphyllou, A.C. 1985. Cytogenetics, cytotaxonomy and phylogeny of root-knot nematodes. In Sasser, J.N. & Carter, C.C. (eds) An Advanced Treatiswe on Meloidogyne.Vol 1. Biology and Control.N.C. State Universty Graphics, Raleigh, N.C. USA.

 

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: July 02, 2024.