Publications by authors named "Zafar Handoo"

To communicate across scientific disciplines, regulatory bodies, and the agricultural community, the naming of plant pathogens assigned to specific taxa is critical. Here, we provide an overview of the nomenclatural systems governing the naming of plant-pathogenic nematodes, fungi, oomycetes, prokaryotes, and viruses. Although we focus on the nature of the nomenclatural codes, we briefly discuss fundamental principles of taxonomy, including classification and identification.

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Plants are exposed to a diverse range of biotic stressors, including fungi, bacteria, nematodes, insects and viruses. To combat these enemies, plants have developed an arsenal of defense mechanisms over time, among which secondary metabolites are the most effective. Moreover, to overcome the negative impact of chemical pesticides, the plant's secondary metabolites can be harnessed to develop novel disease management strategies.

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Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) plants showing stunting and severe defoliation were observed in an organic blueberry farm in eastern Washington State. Initially, leaves of affected blueberry plants showed crinkling and mottling, chlorotic spots and red-colored rings with chlorotic centers.

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Cyst nematodes of the genus comprise 87 nominal species of economically important plant parasites, with the group one of the largest, consisting of 12 species. Samplings for cyst nematode studies were carried out from multiple locations in Greece from 2013 to 2021. Cysts of the genus were recovered from potato fields, athletic stadium turfgrass and a garlic field.

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Turfgrass is a crop used extensively in athletic fields and golf courses in Maryland. A soil sample collected in July 2023 from an athletic field in Baltimore County, Maryland, part of a turfgrass nematode survey, contained . In the southeastern United States, is an economically important pathogen of warm season turfgrass.

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Root-knot nematodes ( spp., RKN) are among the most destructive endoparasitic nematodes worldwide, often leading to a reduction of crop growth and yield. Insights into the dynamics of host-RKN interactions, especially in varied biotic and abiotic environments, could be pivotal in devising novel RKN mitigation measures.

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Barley root-knot nematode, Franklin, 1965, is one of the most important pest nematodes infecting monocots (Franklin, 1965). Two-inch core soil samples collected from a golf course in Ada County, Idaho were submitted for identification in November of 2019. A high number of sp.

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The beech leaf disease nematode, Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii, is recognized as a newly emergent nematode species that causes beech leaf disease (BLD) in beech trees (Fagus spp.) in North America.

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Article Synopsis
  • Specimens of a new tylenchid nematode species were found in soil from a corn field in Pickens County, South Carolina, in 2019.
  • Morphological and molecular analyses identified these specimens as a new species, distinguishable from closely related species by various physical characteristics, such as body shape and reproductive structures.
  • Cryo-scanning electron microscopy and phylogenetic analysis supported the classification, placing the new species in distinct genetic clades, indicating significant divergence from existing tylenchid species.
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Root-knot nematodes ( spp.) are sedentary endoparasites that cause severe economic losses to agricultural crops globally. Due to the regulations of the European Union on the application of nematicides, it is crucial now to discover eco-friendly control strategies for nematode management.

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was discovered during a survey conducted at the Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, for the type specimens of . Besides the fresh material, the fixed specimens of were also studied by molecular and morphological means. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of the recovered fresh material were consistent with the original and other description(s) of this species.

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In August of 2021, several cysts with juveniles and eggs were discovered during a vegetation survey conducted at the Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Eight soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere region of the common grass () and processed at the Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory (MNGDBL). Cysts were light to dark brown in color, and oval to pear-shaped without bullae in young cysts but present in older cysts and with prominent vulval cone.

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, the carrot cyst nematode, is a significant pest affecting carrot globally. Here we present the draft genome of , which was generated from short read libraries from Illumina HiSeq technology, and the corresponding genome annotation.

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A high number of second stage juveniles of the root-knot nematode were recovered from soil samples collected from a corn field, located in Pickens County, South Carolina, USA in 2019. Extracted nematodes were examined morphologically and molecularly for species identification which indicated that the specimens of root knot juveniles were The morphological examination and morphometric details from second-stage juveniles were consistent with the original description and redescriptions of this species. The ITS rRNA, D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA, intergenic -16S region, and gene sequences were obtained from the South Carolina population of .

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Cid del Prado Vera & Subbotin, 2014 cysts were discovered during a Pale Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) survey conducted by Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) efforts to survey states for the presence of PCN. The soil samples were collected from a potato field, located in Karlstad, Kittson County, Minnesota, USA. Two out of 175 vials submitted for identification to the Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory (MNGDBL) contained few cysts and juveniles of .

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The pin nematode, n. sp. collected from rhizosphere soil of a Virginia pine tree ( Mill) growing in Little Paint Branch Park, Beltsville, Prince George's County, Maryland, USA, is described and illustrated along with light and scanning electron photomicrographs.

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In 2019, cysts were discovered from soil samples collected from a field, located in Mosca, Alamosa county, Colorado, USA. Approximately 200 lemon shaped cysts and several hundred juveniles were recovered from the affected quinoa plants. The same species was also identified from several counties in Minnesota from samples submitted over the years by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as part of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) efforts to survey states for the presence of Pale Potato Cyst Nematode.

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In this study, molecular characterization of collected from the type locality in Four Mile Run, Fall Church, Virginia using D2-D3 of 28 S rRNA and ITS rRNA gene sequences was provided. We molecularly also characterized, specimens collected from grasses in Devils Lake, Ramsey County, North Dakota indicated as the type locality in the original description of by Cobb (1923). These nematodes were identified as representatives of the species Populations of belonging to the molecular types A and B, and previously designated by Van den Berg et al.

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Article Synopsis
  • Root-lesion nematodes of the genus Filipjev are significant pests affecting soybean crops, alongside other nematodes like soybean cyst and root-knot nematodes.
  • In a study conducted in 2015 and 2016, soil samples from a soybean field in North Dakota were analyzed, revealing the presence of different life stages of these nematodes.
  • The research confirmed the existence of a new, unnamed species of root-lesion nematode based on both morphological characteristics and molecular analysis, distinguishing it from closely related species.
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Nematodes are Earth's most numerous multicellular animals and include species that feed on bacteria, fungi, plants, insects, and animals. Foliar nematodes are mostly pathogens of ornamental crops in greenhouses, nurseries, forest trees, and field crops. Nematode identification has traditionally relied on morphological and anatomical characters using light microscopy and, in some cases, scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

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Chia ( L.) seeds are used for food, drinks, oil, and animal feed, and all plant parts are employed in traditional medicine. The growing demand for the seed has created a need for improved disease management.

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Root-lesion nematodes ( spp.) are among the most important nematode pests on grapevine along with root-knot, dagger, and ring nematodes. In 2019, two samples of both soil and roots were collected from a vineyard in Delano, Kern County, California and submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture, ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, for identification purposes.

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In the summer of 2016, a field of corn () in Spencer County, Indiana was observed with heavily stunted plants, and from the affected roots a large number of cysts were recovered. Soil samples were submitted to one of us (JF), who extracted the nematode cysts and sent them to the USDA-ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory (MNGDBL), Beltsville, MD for morphological and molecular identification. Cysts and the recovered second-stage juveniles (J2) that were examined morphologically conformed to the measurements of , the goose cyst nematode originally described from Tennessee, USA in 2010.

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In the spring of 2019, a cyst nematode was discovered from soil samples collected from an alfalfa field in Millard County, Utah. The soil samples were submitted to one of us (SH), who extracted the nematode cysts and sent them to the USDA-ARS, Mycology and Nematology Genetic Diversity and Biology Laboratory (MNGDBL), Beltsville, MD for morphological and molecular identification. Cysts and living nematode juveniles (J2) recovered from the cysts were examined morphologically and molecularly for species identification which indicated that the specimens were This represents the first record of in Utah and the second report of this nematode in North America.

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