First report of Heterodera zeae in Spain
Heterodera zeae (formerly EPPO Alert List) is recorded for the first time from Spain. The nematode was detected in a commercial maize (Zea mays) field in Talavera de la Reina (province of Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha) in autumn 2022 during a survey on maize parasitic nematodes in the central-western part of Spain. Maize plants in the infested field were stunted. The identity of the pest was confirmed by morphological and molecular tests.
Sources
Palomares-Rius JE, Clavero-Camacho I, Cantalapiedra-Navarrete C, Roca-Castillo LF, Archidona-Yuste A, Castillo P (2023) First report of Heterodera zeae Koshy, Swarup & Sethi, 1971 (corn cyst nematode) infecting corn (Zea mays) in Spain. Plant Disease (early view). https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-23-0362-PDN