Geographical distribution and molecular identification of cyst nematodes in Bajaur, Pakistan

Summary A survey conducted along the Panjkora river in Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan, identified seven isolates of nematode populations belonging to the Heteroderidae family among the 25 soil and root samples examined. Within these isolates, three were classified as Heterodera avenae , H. filipjevi and H. zeae , while the remaining four were identified as Globodera pallida . The identification of these cyst nematodes involved a combination of morphological and morphometric analyses, complemented by molecular techniques employing newly designed primers to amplify diagnostic regions from any cyst nematode. This study marks the first molecular characterisation of H. avenae , H. zeae and G. pallida in Pakistan and the initial report of H. filipjevi in the country. The mapping of crop-growing regions with sampling points highlights areas at high risk for further pathogen spread.