Description of Filenchus Species from Agroecosystem of Southern Alberta, Canada

Understanding the existing nematode biodiversity is of significant concern because nematodes may divert nutrients from plants and use them for their own development and reproduction. The presence and diagnostics of <i>Filenchus</i> species occurring in southern Alberta have not been addressed in previous studies. Herein, we provide a comprehensive characterization of adult females of four known <i>Filenchus</i> species (<i>F. cylindricus</i>, <i>F. hazenensis</i>, <i>F. sheri</i>, and <i>F. thornei</i>) recovered from cultivated fields in southern Alberta. Three of the species are new records in Canada, while one is a native species that was previously described from the Canadian high arctic area. These organisms are mild parasitic species; we describe them here to enhance the visibility of soil nematodes and facilitate accurate species identification. The diagnostic resolution within <i>Filenchus</i> is low, because many species are described without adequate consideration of intra-specific variation. The species descriptions and molecular data obtained during the present study will reduce the confusion in examining the existing lineages among <i>Filenchus</i> species and will aid in improving phylogenetic resolution. Our results suggest that the known diversity of Canadian nemato-fauna has increased. However, more research is needed to further identify other genera and species of phytoparasitic nematodes that may occur in grasses, weeds, and wild plants present in cultivated areas. Moreover, the molecular characterization of these species from Canada, in comparison to a reference dataset (NCBI) of Tylenchidae nematodes, provides insight into the biogeography of nematodes.

This work was supported by the Potato Early Dying Complex project funded by the University of Lethbridge Research Operating Fund, and the Canadian Potato Early Dying Network project funded by the Canadian Agri-Science Cluster for Horticulture 3 grant to D.P.Y., in collaboration with the Potato Growers of Alberta (Taber, AB, Canada), McCain Foods Canada Ltd. (Chin, AB, Canada), Cavendish Farms Corp. (Lethbridge, AB, Canada), and Lamb Weston Inc. (Purple Springs, AB, Canada).

Peer reviewed