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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2026, Vol. 25 Issue (2): 769-774    DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.07.002
Plant Protection Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Integrative identification of Aphelenchoides fragariae (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) parasitizing Fuchsia hybrid in China

Qiuling Huang1, 2, Yan Liao1, Chunhui Huang1, Huan Peng3, Lingchiu Tsang1, Borong Lin1, 2, Deliang Peng3, Jinling Liao1, Kan Zhuo1, 2#

1 College of Plant Protection, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

2 Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Microbial Signals and Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China

3 State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China

 Highlights 
Aphelenchoides fragariae was first identified as the causal agent of leaf blotch and defoliation in Fuchsia×hybrida.
Aphelenchoides fragariae collected in China was definitively identified for the first time through an integrated approach of morphological and molecular evidence.
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摘要  

【目的】四川省成都市倒挂金钟(Fuchsia × hybrid Voss.发生严重的叶斑病,从病叶中分离到大量滑刃线虫属线虫,对其形态学、分子特征和寄生性等进行详细研究,以明确其种类及对倒挂金钟等作物的寄生性,为草莓滑刃线虫的准确鉴定及倒挂金钟叶斑病防控提供科学依据。【方法】将倒挂金钟的发病叶片剪碎,用浸泡法分离叶片中的滑刃线虫,通过胡萝卜愈伤组织对该线虫进行纯化培养,分离纯化培养的线虫制作永久玻片,在光学显微镜和扫描电子显微镜下观察雌虫和雄虫的形态特征,并进行形态特征测量。采用两对引物1096F/1912R1813F/2646R分别扩增18S小亚基部分区段(SSU、引物D2AD3B扩增28S大亚基D2-D3区段(LSU D2D3及引物18S26S扩增内转录间隔区(internal transcribed spacer, ITS),经序列测定,采用贝叶斯法构建该线虫种群与滑刃线虫属其他线虫种群SSULSU D2D3ITS系统进化树,分析其系统发育关系。在室内采用人工接种的方法,测定该线虫对倒挂金钟、草莓和蜈蚣凤尾蕨的寄生性。【结果】形态学观察和特征测量结果表明,从四川成都倒挂金钟病叶中分离到的滑刃线虫雌虫和雄虫形态特征与草莓滑刃线虫(Aphelenchoides fragariae)的形态特征基本一致;序列比对发现该线虫的SSULSU D2D3ITS均与草莓滑刃线虫的序列相似性最高,3rDNA系统发育树中,该线虫也均与草莓滑刃线虫以100%的支持率形成一个单系。结合形态学和分子生物学结果,将分离自四川成都倒挂金钟病叶上的滑刃线虫鉴定为草莓滑刃线虫。寄生性研究结果表明,该线虫不仅可寄生和危害倒挂金钟,可寄生和危害草莓和蜈蚣凤尾蕨这两种草莓滑刃线虫的典型寄主。【结论】引起我国四川成都倒挂金钟叶斑病的病原为草莓滑刃线虫,系首次发现草莓滑刃线虫危害倒挂金钟,系国内首次通过结合形态学和分子特征对草莓滑刃线虫进行确定。



Abstract  

The strawberry crimp nematode (Aphelenchoides fragariae) is a serious pathogen of ornamental crops and a significant quarantine concern in approximately 50 countries and regions, including China.  A nematode population belonging to the genus Aphelenchoides was isolated from symptomatic leaves of fuchsia plants (Fuchsia×hybrida Hort. ex Sieb. & Voss.) in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.  Morphological and morphometric characteristics were determined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.  Detailed examination revealed diagnostic features consistent with Afragariae.  Three ribosomal DNA (rDNA) regions, i.e., partial small subunit (SSU) rRNA, D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), were amplified and sequenced.  Bayesian phylogenetic analyses based on these sequences placed the isolate in a well-supported monophyletic clade with reference Afragariae specimens, clearly separated from other Aphelenchoides species.  Furthermore, host-suitability assays demonstrated that this nematode population not only infects and reproduces on Fuchsia×hybrida, but also on Fragaria ananassa and Pteris vittata, two known hosts of Afragariae.  Collectively, morphological, molecular, and host-range evidence confirm the identification of this nematode as Afragariae.  To our knowledge, this represents the first molecular and morphological confirmation of Afragariae in China, and the first report of Fuchsia×hybrida as a natural host for this species.

Keywords:  strawberry crimp nematode       morphology        molecular characterization        host-suitability test        fuchsia  
Received: 18 January 2024   Accepted: 29 April 2024 Online: 08 July 2024  
Fund: This research was financially supported by the Shaanxi Innovation Team Project (2024RS-CXTD-73) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31772136).
About author:  Qiuling Huang, E-mail: 1026992738@qq.com; #Correspondence Kan Zhuo, E-mail: zhuokan@scau.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

Qiuling Huang, Yan Liao, Chunhui Huang, Huan Peng, Lingchiu Tsang, Borong Lin, Deliang Peng, Jinling Liao, Kan Zhuo. 2026. Integrative identification of Aphelenchoides fragariae (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae) parasitizing Fuchsia hybrid in China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 25(2): 769-774.

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