NAME OF THE ORGANISM: Meloidogyne arenaria (MELGAR)

Evaluation continues

Candidate

Main transmission mode (in addition to plants for planting) is soil (EPPO, 2022; PM4/017)
In Europe, root-knot nematodes are increasingly important. Out of more than 90 Meloidogyne species currently described, 23 have been found on the continent. Meloidogyne arenaria, M. javanica and M. incognita are the most common species in warmer conditions of southern Europe, but also in glasshouses in northern Europe (Wesemael et al., 2011). Meloidogyne arenaria is considered to be the most frequent species in Spain after M. incognita (López-Pérez et al., 2011).
The host range of M. arenaria is extremely large and includes members from many plant families including monocotyledons, dicotyledons, and herbaceous and woody plants. This root-knot species parasitizes most of the major food crops (vegetables, fruit trees, brambles and vines) and ornamental plants grown in tropical, subtropical and temperate climates (cited from CABI, 2021).
Eggs and juveniles can be transported with soil, so anything which has soil attached is a potential pathway including agricultural equipment and containers, tools, vehicle tires, and workers clothing or boots (CABI, 2021). The nematodes can also be transported by water; down the river flooded fields can become infected (Clavero-Camacho et al., 2024).
Meloidogyne spp. are not transmitted with seeds (in Wesemael et al., 2011).

Yes

M. arenaria is an economically important plant pathogen that parasitizes thousands of plant species worldwide. The peanut root-knot nematode is a pest of major food crops and significantly reduces the quantity and quality of food and fiber production. The average loss caused by root-knot nematodes is thought to be around 5%; however, in some fields the loss can be complete. In some areas of the world, root-knot nematodes are so common that galls on roots are considered normal. Often the damage caused by these nematodes is overlooked or the blame is placed on other agronomic problems. Stunted, unthrifty growth by infected plants is often attributed to vague agricultural ailments such as tired, poor, worn-out and exhausted land (Sasser and Carter, 1984) (cited from CABI). Although Meloidogyne is considered worldwide as the most important genus of plant-parasitic nematodes, information in the scientific literature on the economic impact of root-knot nematodes in Europe is scarce (Wesemael et al., 2011).
In Mediterranean and warm temperate climates, the perennial crops most affected by root-knot nematode species include Prunus spp. and, to a lesser extent fig (Ficus carica) (Saucet et al., 2016).
In fig trees, root-knot nematodes are reported to cause reduction in growth and yield. Heavily infected roots may die (CABI, 2022). In Spain, practical experience from the field shows that Meloidogyne species cause considerable damage in all areas where this fruit tree is grown. In Extremadura, the species M. arenaria has been identified. There is currently no authorised nematicide against these pathogenic nematodes, so they must be controlled by solarisation or biofumigation (Casadomet et al., 2015).
Meloidogyne is also considered as a yield- and production-limiting pest of fig in Brazil (Sherb, 1993). Species associated with this crop around the world include M. arenaria, M. javanica and M. incognita (McSorley 1981), the latter in higher frequency. The presence of this nematode in the crop also affected commercial production in the past in the United States i(Knight Jr 1980), France (Scotto La Massèse et al. 1984) and Brasil (Ferraz et al. 1982, Campos 1997), countries with the highest yields in the world (references in Perraza-Padilla et al., 2013).
These nematodes are also one of the limiting factors for the cultivation of fig in India where it caused considerable yield losses (Jagdev and Mhase, 2019). Jagdev and Mhase (2019) conducted a field experiment to assess the yield losses due to M. incognita in fig (cv. Poona). Their results indicated that the loss in yield of fig in untreated trees ranged from 16.57 to 31.60%.

Medium

No

Candidate

For Ficus carica no effective control strategy based on resistance has yet been implemented, although Ficus racemose seems to be highly resistant and is graft compatible (Saucet et al., 2016). Practical experience from Spain, in the fields, shows that Meloidogyne spcies is an issue on Ficus carica.

Candidate

Use of clean soil: The propagation material is kept either in containers of sterilized growing medium or in soil that has been tested and found free from Xiphinema diversicaudatum (see EPPO Standard PM4/35), Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, M. javanica, Pratylenchus vulnus and Verticillium dahlia (EPPO 2022)

Candidate