An Improved Phenotyping Method for Evaluation of Yam ( spp.) Resistance to Nematodes Belonging to the Genera and .

Phenotyping yam ( spp.) germplasm for resistance to parasitic nematodes is hampered by the lack of an efficient screening method. In this study, we developed a new method using rooted yam vine cuttings and yam plantlets generated from semi-autotrophic hydroponics (SAHs) propagation for phenotyping yam genotypes for nematode resistance.

Characterization of and (Tylenchina: Hoplolaimidae) from banana, with phylogeny and species delineation in the genus .

The morphological and molecular characterisations of two lance nematode species isolated from the rhizosphere of banana, and , are provided based on an integrative study that includes light and scanning electron microscopy, phylogenetic analysis and two tree-based molecular species delimitation methods (GMYC and bPTP). Nineteen new sequences were obtained, including 5 partial 18S rRNA, 6 D2-D3 of 28S rRNA, 1 ITS rRNA and 7 mtDNA (the first sequences of and ), and an updated morphological character comparison of 37 species is presented. The tree-based molecular species-delimitation approaches employed gave markedly differing results, and also showed remarkable discrepancies among the investigated genes, although the bPTP output was found to agree well with established morphological species delimitations.

First Report of the Root-Knot Nematode Parasitizing Plantain (., AAB) in Nigeria.

Plantain ( spp., AAB), an important staple food in Africa with West Africa accounting for 32% of global production, is prone to numerous pests and diseases of which plant-parasitic nematodes are a key concern. This includes root-knot nematodes (RKN; spp.

First Report of Causing Dieback Symptoms on Plantain ( AAB subgroup) in Nigeria.

Bananas (banana and plantains) rank sixth among staple food crops (FAO 2018), with production challenged by biotic factors, mainly fungal diseases that may cause a total loss in some orchards (Jones 2018). In April 2017, dieback symptoms (progressive blackening and necrotic aerial plant parts, leaves, fruits and peduncles) were observed on plantain ( AAB subgroup), in Onne, Rivers State, Nigeria (4°42'55.4012″N, 7°10'35.