Novel insights on distribution, identification, bio-ecology, and control measures of Meloidogyne luci

A group of researchers from Serbia, Slovenia, and Portugal, among whom there are some NEM-EMERGE partners from the Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, have recently published a review of the novel insights on the geographic distribution, identification, bio-ecology, and control measures of Meloidogyne luci.

The researchers offer an extensive description of the geographic distribution of this nematode, detailing the evolution of its emergence and spread in Europe; the wide host range it can infect, and the symptoms the infected plants show.

The identification of this species requires different analyses, from morphological to biochemical and molecular ones, all of them needed to distinguish different Melodoidogyne species, which have similarities in some of these aspects and differ in others.

When it comes to the integrated management strategies, the authors assess various control measures, namely, crop rotation, host plant resistance, chemical control, and bionematicides and biological control, highlighting the increased interest in environmentally friendly approaches for nematode management in sustainable and organic farming systems.

As a conclusion, this group of researchers stress that “to manage this emerging pathogen, substantial investments are required to lead research on new M. luci diagnosis methods”