Genetic variation and population dynamics of the cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera filipjevi in wheat areas of Bolu, Turkey

Abstract

The cereal cyst nematode, Heterodera filipjevi (Madzhidov) Stelter, was detected in Turkey in 1996 and since then it has been increasingly reported to cause losses in wheat yields. Cereal cyst nematode populations have a wide genetic diversity which makes it difficult to be managed. The objectives of this research were to investigate the genetic variation of 23 cyst nematode populations collected from wheat growing areas of Bolu Province, utilising sequenced ITS-rDNA regions, and monitoring main nematode isolate population dynamics in field conditions. The results of ribosomal DNA sequencing revealed that all cyst populations were H. filipjevi and that little genetic variation was present among populations. The highest number of second-stage juveniles was observed between April and beginning of May in a field experiment; white females were visible on the roots in late May. The hatching process was positively correlated with low temperatures, but there were inverse correlations between reproductive factors and initial nematode population densities.