Determination of Plant Parasitic Nematode Fauna and Evaluation of Soil Quality in Olive Orchards of Çanakkale Province, Türkiye

In September 2023, a total of 185 soil samples were collected from the olive orchards in Çanakkale province’s Centre district and the districts of Ayvacık, Bayramiç, Biga, Ezine, and Lapseki to identify the plant-parasitic nematode communities present, determine their distribution maps, and evaluate soil quality by demonstrating the use of nematodes as bioindicators. A total of 22.257 nematode individuals were examined, and 33 genera belonging to 19 families were identified. The Rhabditida order constituted 47.62% of the population, followed by the Tylenchida order with 23.18% and the Aphelenchida order with 22.44%. The most prevalent plant-parasitic nematodes were identified as Merlinius spp. Siddiqi, 1970 (Tylenchida: Dolichodoridae) (10.41%), Tylenchus spp. Bastian, 1865 (Tylenchida: Tylenchidae) (3.47%) and Helicotylenchus spp. Steiner, 1945 (Tylenchida: Hoplolaimidae) (1.77%). The dominance of the p-p 3 group indicates that this group has a common life strategy among herbivorous nematodes and poses a potential threat in agricultural ecosystems. The prevalence of the c-p 2 group among free-living nematodes highlights the critical role of this group in ecosystem processes, particularly in organic matter cycling and soil health.