Review on Nematode Molecular Diagnostics: From Bands to Barcodes

Molecular methods of identification provide accurate, reliable diagnostic approaches for the identification of plant-parasitic nematodes. The promising and attractive results have generated increasing demands for applications in new fields and for better performing techniques. Initially, the techniques were used solely for taxonomic purposes, but increasingly became popular as a component of diagnostic information. Diagnostic procedures are now available to differentiate the plant-pathogenic species from related but non-pathogenic species. The microscopic size of plant parasitic nematodes poses problems and techniques have been developed to enrich samples to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on individual species. In addition, techniques are available to evaluate single nematodes, cysts or eggs of individual species in extracts from soil and plant tissue. DNA or RNA-based techniques are the most widely used approaches for identification, taxonomy and phylogenetic studies, although the development and use of other methods has been, and in some cases still is, important. DNA barcoding and the extraction of DNA from preserved specimens will aid considerably in diagnostic information. . In addition, further review is needed to identify all recovered nematode and evaluation of promising treatments for use in integrated disease management strategy to manage not only regulated species such as the potato cyst nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and Globodera pallida, and root-knot nematode Meloidogyne. chitwoodi, but also other related nematode diseases of plant. Key Words: Barcoding, Diagnosis, DNA, Molecular, Nematode, RNA.