New Distribution and Molecular Diversity of the Reniform Nematode (Nematoda: Rotylenchulinae) in Europe.

Reniform nematodes of the genus are semi-endoparasites of numerous herbaceous and woody plant species roots and occur largely in regions with temperate, subtropical, and tropical climates. In this study, we provide new records of the nematode in eight European countries (Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Serbia, and Portugal), in addition to the six Mediterranean countries (Greece, Israel, Jordan, Spain, Syria, and Turkey) where the nematode was previously reported. Four new host species (corn, pea, wheat, and an almond-peach hybrid rootstock) are added to the recorded host species (bean, chickpea, hazelnut, peanut, soybean, and wild and cultivated olive). Molecular analyses based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit and D2-D3 segments of 28S RNA markers showed high diversity and pronounced genetic structure among populations of . However, the complexity of phylogeographic patterns in plant-parasitic nematodes may be related to the intrinsic heterogeneity in the distribution of soil organisms, a rare occurrence of a species, or the potential human impact associated with agricultural practices.