Morphologic and molecular identification of Xiphinema americanum associated with pine trees

Abstract

Xiphinema spp. member Xiphinema americanum, isolated from soils around roots of pine tree (Pinus spp.) were identified by morphological and molecular methods. Morphologic identification of species was carried out under microscope by observing featuring characteristics of heat killed and TAF fixed females. On the other hand a polymerase chain reaction protocol has been developed for the specific molecular identification of Xiphinema americanum. A primer sets amlifying ITS1 region were designed (X.americanum F- X. americanumR) and used in diagnostic tests. After running %1 agarose gel, DNA from a single Xiphinema americanum female yielded amplification products with expected lenght of 183 bp. Xiphinema americanum was succesfully identified with species-specific primers developed from ITS-1 region of rDNA