First Report of Mesocriconema sphaerocephalum (Taylor, 1936) Loof, 1989 Associated with Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) in Egypt

Abstract

Ring nematodes of the genus, Mesocriconema are a group of polyphagous, migratory root-ectoparasites of plants. In a nematological survey of three governorates in Egypt, Mesocriconema sphaerocephalum (Taylor, 1936) Loof, 1989 was isolated from the rhizosphere of soil samples in five bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) fields, as a new host record, at Badr Centre, El-Beheira governorate. Mesocriconema sphaerocephalum specimens were extracted from 5 out of 45 (11.1%) soil samples with a population density up to 23 individuals/250 g soil. Morphological and morphometrical analysis of females and juveniles were used for species identification. This species has been previously reported from Egypt on other hosts. Nevertheless, this is the first report of M. sphaerocephalum associated with pepper plants. Additional information on the distribution, importance, and status of this phytoparasite is presented.