Joint PRA carried out for Meloidogyne minor by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom
In 2004, Karssen et al. described Meloidogyne minor as a new species of root-knot nematode. M. minor appeared to be the causal agent of yellow patch disease on several golf courses on the British Isles and root-knot symptoms in one potato field in the Netherlands in 2000. The Netherlands and the United Kingdom decided to carry out a joint pest risk analysis (PRA) for the EU region. M. minor has been observed mainly on coastal sand dunes, golf courses and sport grounds in the British Isles. A survey in the Netherlands, carried out in 2006 as part of the PRA, revealed the presence of M. minor in several golf courses, sport grounds and pasture fields. It is not known if M. minor is indigenous to Europe and present in other European countries. Surveys would be needed to clarify this issue. The pest risk analysts concluded that, with the current knowledge, M. minor was primarily a problem for golf courses. There is currently insufficient knowledge about the species distribution in the PRA area and its potential economic impact to determine whether official measures are appropriate. It is presumed that its spread cannot readily be controlled since it can be carried on footwear and sport equipments. Additional surveys are therefore recommended. The PRA document will be available on the websites of the Dutch and British NPPOs (www.minlnv.nl/pd - www.defra.gov.uk).
The situation of Meloidogyne minor in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands can be described as follows: Present: only in some areas where host plants occur, based on limited surveys.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands, 2006-11.
Karssen G, Bolk RJ, Van Aelst AC, Van den Beld I, Kox LFF, Korthals G, Molendijk L, Zijlstra C, Van Hoof R, Cook R (2004) Description of Meloidogyne minor n. sp. (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae), a root-knot nematode associated with yellow patch disease in golf courses. Nematology 6(1), 59-72.