Phylogenetic position of Pratylenchus vulnus species (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) associated with banana using mtDNA (cox1 region) from South Africa

Plant parasitic nematodes are the main nematodes that live in the soil, causing yield loss for various crops. Pratylenchus species is endoparasite and known as root lesion nematode, therefore, can feed on the roots of the banana, resulting in necrosis and less production. This species is indicated to be highly risky to plants and must be identified correctly, and it is associated with bananas as one of the most important crops in Limpopo Province in South Africa. Therefore, this molecular study was conducted in 2023 at the Limpopo University to identify the Pratylenchus from South Africa's soils using the cox1 region of mtDNA marker. The recovered nematode was extracted using the tray method, and then its DNA was extracted using the Chelex method. The nematode was identified as Pratylenchus vulnus. Afterwards, cox1 of mtDNA was amplified using specific primers to identify the nematode. The Nblast analysis based on the mtDNA showed that South African P. vulnus had 99% similarity (KY424096; KY424097) with Chinese populations. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum likelihood placed this species with those molecularly identified as P. vulnus in the same clade with highly supported (100) bootstrap values. In conclusion, this species was determined using cox1 of mtDNA; however, other rDNA markers, such as ITS, and rDNA, were recommended for a better understanding of Pratylenchus phylogeny.