Banana (Musa spp. L.) is an important staple food and cash crop for about 30% of the population in Tanzania; however, the burrowing plant-parasitic nematode Radopholus similis causes black head disease and toppling in banana plants, which results in yield losses. We collected and identified 80 specimens of R. similis from four agro-ecological zones in Tanzania using morphological characters. We then used universal and specific R. similis primers to amplify the small subunit, internal transcribed spacer and large subunit of ribosomal DNA regions of these specimens. The amplicons were subsequently sequenced and analyzed using Bayesian inference. We identified two major clades, one that comprised all R. similis sequences derived from this study and another that included R. similis and Radopholus spp. sequences obtained from GenBank, indicating the separation of this species from congeneric sequences. Our findings provide a useful, simple and rapid method for identifying burrowing nematodes. This outcome could contribute to the development of permanent, integrated pest management strategies for the control of R. similis in banana and other crops in order to reduce associated yield losses in Tanzania. To our knowledge, this is the first study of nematodes to use combined morphological and molecular methods for the identification of R. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/talabostat.html similis in Tanzania.Laimaphelenchus sinensis n. sp. isolated from declining Chinese pine, Pinus tabuliformis Carrière, is described and characterized morphologically and molecularly. The new species has four incisures in the lateral field and the excretory pore situated posterior to the nerve ring; the female has a vulval flap and vaginal sclerotization is quite prominent in majority of specimens. The female tail is conoid, ventrally curved having a single stalk-like terminus with 8 to 10 projections. The male spicules are 14.0 (13.2-15) μm long along curved median line and tail is ventrally curved typical of the genus; however, the projections are less prominent as compared to those of female. The male has two pairs of caudal papillae and Bursa is absent. Phylogenetically, the ribosomal DNA sequences of the new species placed it within Laimaphelenchus clade and are morphologically similar to L. persicus, L. preissii, L. simlaensis and L. unituberculus.Plant-parasitic nematodes cause severe damage to the various agricultural crops, leading to economic losses for farmers. Therefore, identification and development of novel and environmentally benign nematicides is critically important. In this study, a silver nanoparticle (AgNP) formulation was synthesized, characterized, and investigated as a potential nematicide against rice root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne gramnicola, on rice (Oryza sativa). A series of lab assays (water and sand screening) and glasshouse experiments (using soilless system, autoclaved soil, and naturally infested soil) were conducted to examine the nematicidal effects of AgNP. The results from lab assays revealed 0.1 µg/ml as the minimum concentration for 100% irreversible nematode mortality after 12 hr in the water screening test. However, results from the sand screening test indicated 100% nematicidal effect of AgNP at 2 µg/ml after 24 hr of incubation. In glasshouse assays in soilless system of rice cultivation, 1 µg/ml concentration of AgNP applied directly to the trays achieved significant suppression of root gall formation. The effective dosage to kill nematodes in field soil assays was determined to be 3 µg/ml, which is lower than the value of 150 µg/ml reported in the literature. No visible adverse effect of AgNP was observed on seed germination or plant growth in all the experiments. The results indicate that AgNP has effective nematicidal activity against M. graminicola in rice.The soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the most important pest on soybean, a major crop worldwide. The SCN is considered both parasitic and pathogenic as it derives nutrition from the host and manipulates host physiology to do so. Currently, there are no commercially available chemicals that are specific, environmentally safe and cost effective to control SCN levels. Crop rotation, use of host resistance and other cultural practices remain the main management strategies. The need for bioprospecting other methods of controlling SCN is paramount, and fungi show promise in that respect. Several studies have evaluated fungi and fungal products as biocontrol options against plant-parasitic nematodes. This review discusses fungal genera isolated from the SCN with potential for use as biocontrol agents and the effects of their secondary metabolites on various stages of SCN development. The review also summarizes efforts to control SCN using soil amendments that could potentially impact fungal communities in the soil.In 2012, the first domestic commercial edamame processing plant was established in Arkansas and edamame production was contracted out to local growers. Although the state is a major soybean producer, studies of nematode effects on edamame are limited. A survey of nematode genera and density in 64 contracted edamame production fields was conducted in 2013 and 2014. In both years, Meloidogyne and Heterodera were present in less than half of the surveyed fields while Pratylenchus was the most prevalent in 2013 and Helicotylenchus in 2014. A microplot study was conducted in 2014 in two locations to evaluate the effects of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita, race 3) and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines, HG type 2.5.7) on plant growth, yield and food quality components of edamame. Yield was the most consistent factor influenced by nematode pressure with increasing nematode population densities resulting in suppressed pod and seed weight. Additionally, seed protein content was reduced in the highest tested population density of H. glycines. In greenhouse studies, 22 advanced edamame breeding lines from the University of Arkansas soybean breeding program were compared with two susceptible commercial cultivars for suitability as hosts for both M. incognita and H. glycines independently. Four lines showed consistent reductions in M. incognita reproduction relative to the commercial cultivars and could represent sources of moderate resistance for development of future root-knot nematode resistant edamame cultivars.