Overview of the South African Plant-Parasitic Nematode Survey (SAPPNS)

Abstract

The foundation and growth of the South African Plant-Parasitic Nematode Survey is presented from its launch in 1987 to the present. Initially four objectives were identified, namely, (i) making an inventory of all the plant-parasitic nematodes found in South Africa, (ii) studying the biogeography of plant-parasitic nematodes, (iii) establishing an electronic database at the Plant Protection Research and (iv) drawing maps that represent the distribution of the nematodes pests. In 2006, the second phase of the project was initiated to digitise all the specimens deposited in the National Collection of Nematodes (NCN), a task that was completed in 2014. The wealth of data contained in the database has allowed fresh insights into the knowledge base of local and international nematologists and, at the same time, exposed huge gaps that still exist. The data show, for example, that eight of the nine Trichodorus spp. reported from South Africa are endemic to South Africa and that only one record exists where more than one species of Trichodorus occurs concomitantly at the same locality. The database also shows that there is a dearth of nematode data from thicket, grassland, savanna, Nama and succulent Karoo biomes.