First report of the root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei infecting bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Ethiopia

Abstract The root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus thornei Sher & Allen, 1953 is one of the major constraints limiting wheat production and productivity in many wheat-growing regions worldwide. However, information on its occurrence and pathogenicity in Ethiopia remains limited. In this study, root-lesion nematodes extracted from soil and infected root samples collected from wheat fields in the East and West Arsi zones were identified as P. thornei , representing the first report of this species infecting bread wheat in Ethiopia. Species identification was confirmed through morphological examination using light microscopy and molecular characterization based on partial 18 S (SSU) rDNA sequences. Greenhouse pathogenicity assays showed that the wheat varieties Abay and Biqa are suitable hosts, with nematode reproduction factors > 4. These findings provide the first confirmed report of the occurrence and pathogenic potential of P. thornei in Ethiopian wheat production systems and indicate the need for further studies on its distribution, impact, and management.