Host Status of Brazilian Native Tree Species to Root‐Knot Nematodes

ABSTRACT Root‐knot nematodes (RKN, Meloidogyne spp.) are among the most important plant pathogenic organisms, causing significant damage, with a wide geographical distribution and being difficult to control. The ability of these nematodes to parasitize native trees from Brazilian biomes is little understood. This study evaluated the host status of 24 native tree species to M. incognita and M. javanica under greenhouse conditions. Overall, 62.5% of the species evaluated (15 out of 24) were classified as susceptible (reproduction factor, RF > 1.0) to M. javanica , whereas 70.8% (17 out of 24) were susceptible to M. incognita . The highest RF values for both nematodes were recorded in Enterolobium contortisiliquum , Handroanthus albus and Senna macranthera , while Cedrela fissilis showed high susceptibility only to M. incognita . Six species were resistant to M. javanica and five to M. incognita , with four species ( Campomanesia guazumifolia , Erythrina falcata , Inga edulis and Parapiptadenia rigida ) exhibiting resistance to both nematodes. In addition, four species were immune to M. javanica and two to M. incognita , with Apuleia leiocarpa and Myrcianthes pungens being the only species immune to both RKN species. Many of the most susceptible trees are widely distributed in the Cerrado, Brazil's leading grain‐ and fibre‐producing region, indicating potential refuges for RKN near agricultural landscapes. This study provides the first comprehensive evaluation of native Brazilian trees as RKN hosts, filling a major knowledge gap and offering novel insights for sustainable nematode management, forest restoration and biotechnological exploration.