Morphological and molecular notes on root lesion nematode Pratylenchus coffeae and Pratylenchus neglectus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) from Pakistan

During a survey, a root lesion nematode Pratylenchus coffeae was recovered from the soil associated with Plantago ovata plantation in Sindh, Pakistan. The first report of P. coffeae from soil and root of Plantago ovata was examined morphologically and molecularly. The Pakistani population had few geographical variation and is characterized by body length (L = 360–450; a = 18.0–22.5, c = 7.2–16.1, c' = 1.7–3.1, V% = 72–80), a labial region with 2 annuli, a lateral field with 6 incisures, stylet 16–17 μm long with rounded knobs, spermatheca reduced or absent, post vulval uterine sac 28–35 μm long, and tail tip smooth, rounded, and containing 19–23 annuli ventrally. Morphometric and molecular features of 18 S rDNA, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes are characterized. Phylogenetic analysis using cox1 of mtDNA place it close to P. coffeae, and P. speijeri with 1.00 posterior probability values. Measurements, line illustrations, and LM pictures for P. coffeae are given. Further, the detailed morphological, molecular, Discriminant analysis (DA) revealed differences between the P. coffeae and the close species morphologically and molecularly. Besides, P. neglectus verified using morphology and molecular characters. The nblast result of 18 S rDNA and cox1 of mtDNA showed 100 % similarity with the same species. Phylogenetic analysis using 18 S rDNA and cox1 placed the Pakistanis population of P. neglectus together with the other P. neglectus in a clade with 1.00 posterior probability. Population study of P. neglectus associated with grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) revealed that this species had the most prominence value in Abbottabad of Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Province of Pakistan. •This study reports Pratylenchus coffeae from Plantago ovata and Pratylenchus neglectus from Vitis vinifera as root lesion pathogens for the first time in Pakistan.•The different populations of P. coffeae and P. neglectus were identified based on morphological, morphometric, and molecular characters.•The phylogenetic analysis using 18 S rDNA and (cox1) has placed the Pakistani populations of P. coffeae and P. neglectus together with the same species in a clade with 1.00 posterior probability.•The population study revealed that P. neglectus is the most widespread root lesion nematode species with highest prominence value in Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Province, Pakistan, which requires immediate control measures.