Plant parasitic nematodes fauna of stone fruit trees in Khorramabad County

The identification of plant parasitic nematodes, which are serious damaging factors for stone fruit trees production, is important to follow the goals of the agricultural sector and increase production.

In order to identify plant parasitic nematodes associated with stone fruit trees in Khorramabad County, Iran, 72 soil samples were collected from stone fruit trees from different regions of Khorramabad County, during 2017 and 2018. After the extraction, killing and fixing of nematodes, species were identified in consideration of morphological and morphometric characteristics using a light microscope equipped with a digital camera.

Thirty species of plant-parasitic nematodes were identified from 19 genera of the suborder Tylenchina. Morphological characteristics of Aphelenchoides sp. and Ditylenchus sp. which did not match any of the reported species described.

Aphelenchoides haguei, Helicotylenchus tunisiensis, Merlinius nanus, Filenchus ditissimus and F. facultativus on stone fruit trees in Iran are reporting for the first time.