Morphological and molecular characterization of Pratylenchus lentis n. sp. (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) from Sicily.

Nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on plant roots and cause global crop losses exceeding $100 billion annually. Lesion nematodes are one of the most economically destructive groups of plant-parasitic nematodes. A major problem with determining the extent of crop loss due to lesion nematodes is that the nematodes present in many areas are unknown. In this study, researchers from Italy in collaboration with an ARS scientist from Beltsville, Maryland describe and illustrate one new species of lesion nematodes from lentil in Sicily, Italy. Methods for identifying the new species were developed and were based on anatomical features obtained with light microscopes, as well as DNA sequence data and host range tests. The results are significant because they provide valuable details that allow this new species to be identified. This research will be of use to scientists, growers, action agencies and extension agencies involved in nematode research and control.