The cyst nematode Heterodera latipons Franklin, 1969 (Nemata: Heteroderidae): hatching behavior and development on wheat in arid and semiarid regions in Turkey

Abstract

The cyst nematode Heterodera latipons Franklin, 1969 (Nemata: Heteroderidae) is an economically important sedentaryplant-parasitic nematode which limits the production of cereal crops around the world. It is an important pest on wheat and can befound globally in different growing areas, especially in the Mediterranean region. Developing an understanding of its physiologicalbehavior (senescence, quiescence, and cryptobiosis), development [second-stage juveniles (J2) and immature and mature females], andpopulation dynamics under field conditions is needed to create an appropriate control strategy. The experiments were conducted atKaraisalı, a semiarid region in Adana Province, and at Derik, an arid region in Mardin Province, during the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017growing seasons. The results indicated that the emergence of J2 of H. latipons in the soil rhizosphere occurred from late December tomid-January in the semiarid region, while they were mostly observed through March in both regions when the average temperature wasaround 10 °C. The white (immature) females were seen between mid-February and mid-March in both experimental seasons in the aridand semiarid regions, and they were mainly observed in April when the temperature was above 15 °C during both seasons in the aridregion. The results showed that H. latipons produces only one generation in each wheat growing season, and the developmental stagesof this nematode species are closely related to the ecological and edaphic factors of host plant development. Moreover, the developmentof J2 and immature females of H. latipons took longer in the semiarid region than in the arid region owing to plant and root growthand edaphic factors, especially soil temperature and moisture. Understanding the physiological behavior and biological stages of thisnematode will be useful for developing nematode control strategies to keep H. latipons populations below economic damage levels.