1Department of Plant Protection, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, Duhok, Kurdistan Region–Iraq
2Department of Hydroponic Technique, Khabat Technical Institute, Erbil Polytechnic University, Kurdistan Region–Iraq
*Corresponding author; E-mail: ayoub.ahmed@epu.edu.iq
Online Published on 25 February, 2026.
Field surveys were made to examine root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) infestations in solanaceous plants at six locations: Khabat, Qushtapa, and Ainkawa in Erbil province; and Shekhan, Bardarash, and Akre in Duhok province in Iraq. The nematode infections were found at two locations, Khabat and Qushtapa in Erbil province. Morphological (perineal patterns) and molecular characterization of mature females confirmed the identity of M. javanica associated with tomato and eggplants at Qushtapa (Accession No. PQ893913 and PQ893914, respectively), M. incognita with tomato at Khabat (Accession No. PQ893912), and M. ethiopica (Accession No. PQ893911) with pepper at Qushtapa. The occurrence of M. ethiopica is the first record in Iraq. The phylogenetic tree showed distinct clades for the species identified in the present study. The tree confirms the monophyly of the Meloidogyne genus which clustered together, distinct and diverge away from P. penetrans. This supports the interpretation that Meloidogyne species share a common ancestor distinct from Pratylenchus.
Solanaceae, Root knot nematodes, Perineal patterns, Morphological and molecular identification, Phylogenetic tree
