Author/Authors :
HOUSSOU, G. Ghent University - Biology Department, Belgium , BAÏMEY, H. University of Parakou, Benin , Zadji, L. Ghent University - Biology Department, Belgium , Zadji, L. University of Parakou, Benin , DE SUTTER, N. Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO) - Plant, Crop Protection, Belgium , Waeyenberge, L. Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO) - Plant, Crop Protection, Belgium , AFFOUDA, L. University of Parakou, Benin , VIAENE, N. Ghent University - Biology Department, Belgium , VIAENE, N. Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO) - Plant, Crop Protection, Belgium , Moens, M. Ghent University - Biology Department, Laboratory for Agrozoology, Belgium , DECRAEMER, W. Ghent University - Biology Department, Belgium , DECRAEMER, W. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Belgium
Abstract :
A study on the biodiversity of entomopathogenic nematodes was conducted during 2010 and 2011 in South Benin. Soil samples from eight sites production of annual and perennial crops were analysed. We obtained 13.21 % of positive soil samples out of 280. We here report on the identification of six of these isolates. Molecular, morphometrical and morphological observations classified the isolates within the genus Heterorhabditis ; one isolate was conspecific with H. indica and two other isolates with H. sonorensis. More information is needed for effective identification of the remaining three isolates. Phylogenic analysis based on sequences of ITS regions of rDNA grouped our isolates with H. sonorensis and H. taysearae with bootstrap support values of 94 and 99 % in Maximum Parsimony and Neighbour Joining trees, respectively. Morphological characters of the infective juveniles and males did not correspond to those of H. taysearae, but were close to H. sonorensis. In contrast, the female of the H. sonorensis populations did show some minor differences with the originally described one. No progeny was obtained from the crossbreeding of Beninese isolates and H. taysearae. Crossing with an isolate of H. sonorensis would have been more conclusive, but no isolates were available even for specimen’s morphological comparison.
NaturalLanguageKeyword :
Survey , identification , Molecular , cross , hybridization , Heterorhabditis
