Pratylenchus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae): Diagnosis, Biology, Pathogenicity and Management. Nematology Monographs and Perspectives Volume 6.

Abstract

Pratylenchus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae): Diagnosis, Biology, Pathogenicity and Management. Nematology Monographs and Perspectives Volume 6 . Castillo, Pablo and Vovlas, Nicola (David J. Hunt and Roland N. Perry (eds)). 529 pp . Leiden, the Netherlands : Koninklijke Brill NV . 2007 . € 150 . ISBN 978-90-04-15564-0 (paperback) . Members of the genus Pratylenchus (root lesion nematodes) are ranked as being the second most important nematode pest of cultivated crops in the world. These migratory endoparasites are found on a wide variety of plant hosts including banana, cereals, coffee, corn, legumes, peanut and various types of fruit. In addition they have an extensive global distribution and have even been recorded from soils in Antarctica. Root lesion nematodes can be a complex pest to manage since they can survive on a wide variety of hosts and undergo a process known as anhydrobiosis (a type of stasis that allows the nematode to survive extreme conditions). Furthermore, they are known to form disease complexes with a number of fungal pathogens such as Verticillium. This is a useful publication that provides a comprehensive overview of Pratylenchus. The book has a number of valuable uses for those involved in the fields of nematology and plant pathology and would serve as a full taxonomic guide to the 68 known species of Pratylenchus. For those that are less familiar with the general morphology of Pratylenchus there is a useful chapter that covers the general anatomical features of the genus and provides comparative line diagrams of lateral field, stylet knobs, pharynx, reproductive system and tail-shape. The chapter on taxonomy and systematics provides some helpful background on changes in taxonomic classification and a list of species and their synonyms provides a good reference to the reader as does the list of species described as Pratylenchus, which were then subsequently transferred to other genera. The main body of the book contains individual descriptions on each species of Pratylenchus with each species profile containing morphometric measurements, taxonomic descriptions and fully referenced information on distribution and associated hosts. All of the profiles include line diagrams and occasionally SEM micrographs, although the quality is variable. The tabular key and key to the species will provide an invaluable tool for any researcher working on this genus. The remaining chapters of the book provide an excellent and up-to-date literature review of Pratylenchus. It is clear that the authors have given careful thought to the structure of their review and readers should be able to access desired information efficiently. The chapter on biochemical and molecular approaches to diagnosis highlights the power of molecular methods but draws attention to where specific difficulties have been encountered. Chapters on biology, ecology, pathogenicity and host-parasite relationships will prove invaluable to those who are unfamiliar with root lesion nematodes, particularly postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers. Rather than generalizing, the authors have focussed on individual species and there are some useful comparisons on their optimal environmental requirements. When discussing pathogenicity the authors draw attention to the effects of interactions between Pratylenchus and other microorganisms. Of particular significance is the interaction between Pratylenchus species with Verticillium dahliae on potato (potato early dying disease), which results in increased wilt symptoms and reduced potato tuber yields even when densities of each pathogen are too low to cause disease independently. The descriptions of host-parasite relationships, particularly the events surrounding invasion are well illustrated with a series of clear micrographs. The final chapter of the book deals with management strategies for Pratylenchus. The authors have naturally focussed on alternative control strategies due to the questionable future of nematicide products and the loss of methyl bromide. The discussions of the literature concerning rotations that have reduced populations of the various Pratylenchus species were extremely pertinent. Similarly the sections on organic amendments (e.g. chitin) and nematicidal plants (e.g. marigold) will become increasingly more relevant with changing perspectives in crop protection. In addition, there is relevant information on resistance, biological and chemical management. Overall this book was well written, coherent and presented in a clear and logical format. The book is likely to be of interest to those who are actively involved with any type of research on Pratylenchus. Furthermore, the extensive reference list provides the reader with an excellent starting point for further research.