Commelina diffusa Burm. F., new host of Meloidogyne sp. in Cuba

The objective of this research was to determine the presence of Meloidogyne species in
Commelina diffusa Burn.F. The sampling was made in the Musa germplasm collection kept at the
National Institute of Tropical Roots and Tubers (INIVIT) (22.35º N; 80.13º W), Santo Domingo, Villa
Clara Province, Cuba. Samples of C. diffusa plants with root galling were taken and carried to the
Agricultural Nematology Laboratory at National Centre for Plant and Animal Health (CENSA).
Twenty-five adult females were processed under a stereoscope to obtain the perineal patterns. Keys
and descriptions of Meloidogyne species were used for their morphological diagnosis. The roots of C.
diffusa showed numerous galls of different sizes, and, inside the galls, adult females with egg masses
were observed indicating nematode reproduction on the plant. The characteristics of the perineal
patterns of the extracted females suggested the presence of Meloidogyne arenaria (Neal) Chitwood, a
diagnosis that must be confirmed in a future study using molecular tools.