The Genus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) in Israel: From Taxonomy to Control Practices.

Due to Israel's successful agricultural production and diverse climatic conditions, plant-parasitic nematodes are flourishing. The occurrence of new, previously unidentified species in Israel or of suggested new species worldwide is a consequence of the continuous withdrawal of efficient nematicides. Among plant-parasitic nematodes, migratory endoparasitic species of the genus are widely distributed in vegetable and crop fields in Israel and are associated with major reductions in quality and yield. This review focuses on the occurrence, distribution, diagnosis, pathogenicity, and phylogeny of all species recorded over the last few decades on different crops grown throughout Israel-covering early information from nematologists to recent reports involving the use of molecular phylogenetic methodologies. We explore the accepted distinction between and isolated from Israel's northern Negev region, and address the confusion concerning the findings related to these species. Our recent sampling from the northern Negev revealed the occurrence of both and on the basis of molecular identification, indicating as a sister species of and their potential occurrence in a mixed infection. Finally, the efficiencies of common control measures taken to reduce ' devastating damage in protected crops and field crops is discussed.