MORPHOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF BOLEODORUS VOLUTUS IN THE UNITED STATES FROM THE RHIZOSPHERE OF MEDICINAL HEMP

Abstract

Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that cause an estimated $10 billion of crop losses each year in the United States and over $100 billion globally.  The current study offers both morphological and molecular insights into a Boleodorus volutus population recovered from the rhizosphere soil of medicinal hemp cultivated in a field located in Baltimore County, MD in 2019.  Nematodes were extracted from 100 cm³ soil through sieving and decanting followed by sucrose centrifugal flotation. Boleodorus volutus was identified by anatomical features and measurements of females and males. Molecular sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of 18S and 28S rDNA markers were used to characterize B. volutus, which represents a new record of this species from the United States.