First Report of Lance Nematode (Hoplolaimus magnistylus) on Corn, Soybean, and Cotton in Tennessee.

The lance nematode Hoplolaimus magnistylus Robbins 1982 (3) was found for the first time in Tennessee in a cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) field (35°19.550' N, 89°24.535' W) in Fayette County in May 2011. In June of the same year, the species was also found in soil samples collected from a corn (Zea mays L.) field (36°15.736' N, 88°51.121' W) and a soybean (Glycine max L.) field (36°15.616' N, 88°51.118' W) in Weakley County, TN. Nematodes were extracted from the soil with a semi-automatic elutriator and further processed by sugar flotation-centrifugation. Population densities were between 30 and 50 individuals per 100 cm3 of soil in areas with noticeable stunting. Helicotylenchus sp. and Pratylenchus sp. were also present at less than 10 individuals per 100 cm3 of soil. Ten soybean seeds, cv. Hutcheson, were planted and inoculated with 50 H. magnistylus per 100 cm3 in steam-sterilized soil, and were maintained in a greenhouse. Forty-five days later, soybean plants exhibited at least one of the following symptoms: stunting and chlorosis, reduced root growth, and localized root lesions. Individual nematodes were handpicked and identified under a compound light microscope as H. magnistylus based on morphological and morphometric characteristics. The main diagnostic character for this species is the size of the stylet. In the populations collected, females had stylets ranging from 49 to 58 µm (mean 56 µm). Males and females were observed with head distinctly set off and massive cephalic framework, stylet long and robust and stylet knobs pointed anteriorly. The lateral field was areolated and had four incisures most of the body length, the excretory pore was prominent and located 190 µm (175 to 200 µm) from anterior end, hemizonid was large and located one or two annules posterior to the excretory pore, phasmids were large, conspicuous, and variable in position, and vulva was prominent and near midbody. This species is most similar to the more commonly reported H. galeatus, but differs from it in the longer stylet. Total DNA was extracted from single adults from each soil sample and the species-specific primers Hoc-1f (5'-AACCTGCTGCTGGATCATTA-3') and HM-3r (5'-AGACTGGACGGCCAAAGTT-3') designed by Bae et al. (1) were used to confirm the identification by amplification of a distinct 340-bp amplicon that differentiates this species from H. columbus, H. galeatus, H. concaudajuvencus, and H. stephanus. H. magnistylus was first described from soil samples taken from a corn and soybean field in Marianna, AR (3), and has been reported in association with soybean and corn in Louisiana and Mississippi (4). Robbins (4) reported that H. magnistylus was not a serious pest of irrigated cotton in Arkansas, but there are no other pathogenicity studies published for soybean, corn, or non-irrigated cotton. Other lance species, mainly H. galeatus and H. columbus, have been reported to cause serious damage to cotton in the Carolinas and Georgia (3). Previously, H. galeatus was reported in Tennessee by Bernard (2). Lance nematodes feed as migratory endo- and ectoparasites and injure the growing points of roots, causing stunting of plants. Because so little is known about the pathogenicity of this nematode, it becomes relevant to add our records of its known distribution in field crops in the United States. To our knowledge, this is the first report of H. magnistylus in Tennessee. References: (1) C. H. Bae et al. Nematology 11:471, 2009. (2) E. C. Bernard. University of Tennessee Bulletin 594, 1980. (3) R. T. Robbins. J. Nematol. 14:500, 1982. (4) R. T. Robbins. J. Nematol. 30(4S):590, 1998.

Permanent genetic resources added to Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 October 2010-30 November 2010.

This article documents the addition of 277 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Ascochyta rabiei, Cambarellus chapalanus, Chionodraco hamatus, Coptis omeiensis, Cynoscion nebulosus, Daphnia magna, Gerbillus nigeriae, Isurus oxyrinchus, Lates calcarifer, Metacarcinus magister, Oplegnathus fasciatus, Pachycondyla verenae, Phaethon lepturus, Pimelodus grosskopfii, Rotylenchulus reniformis, Scomberomorus niphonius, Sepia esculenta, Terapon jarbua, Teratosphaeria cryptica and Thunnus obesus. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Austropotamobius italicus, Cambarellus montezumae, Cambarellus puer, Cambarellus shufeldtii, Cambarellus texanus, Chionodraco myersi, Chionodraco rastrospinosus, Coptis chinensis, Coptis chinensis var. brevisepala, Coptis deltoidea, Coptis teeta, Orconectes virilis, Pacifastacus leniusculus, Pimelodus bochii, Procambarus clarkii, Pseudopimelodus bufonius, Rhamdia quelen, Sepia andreana, Sepiella maindroni, Thunnus alalunga, Thunnus albacares, Thunnus maccoyii, Thunnus orientalis, Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus tonggol.

Deconvolution of the factors contributing to the increase in global hurricane intensity.

To better understand the change in global hurricane intensity since 1970, we examined the joint distribution of hurricane intensity with variables identified in the literature as contributing to the intensification of hurricanes. We used a methodology based on information theory, isolating the trend from the shorter-term natural modes of variability. The results show that the trend of increasing numbers of category 4 and 5 hurricanes for the period 1970-2004 is directly linked to the trend in sea-surface temperature; other aspects of the tropical environment, although they influence shorter-term variations in hurricane intensity, do not contribute substantially to the observed global trend.

First Report of Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne javanica on Chrysanthemum in Colombia.

Severe plant stunting, chlorosis, and extensive root galling were observed on chrysanthemum (Dendrathema grandiflora cv. Yellow Vero) in a commercial cut-flower production facility in Rionegro, Antioquia, northwestern Colombia. Examination of the root samples from selected infected plants revealed the presence of abundant root-knot nematodes. Juveniles, males, and females were extracted for species identification using morphological characteristics. Identification was confirmed by perineal patterns and esterase phenotype analysis of females. All methods of identification were consistent with typical Meloidogyne javanica. No other root-knot nematode species were found on this farm, but the presence of other Meloidogyne species in the region is possible. Root-knot nematodes have been reported to cause economic losses in cut-flower plantations in Colombia (1), but there are no reports of the species involved. M. javanica has an extensive host range and wide distribution. The identification and distribution of M. javanica in chrysanthemum production is relevant because nematode-fungus interactions may depend on the nematode species involved. Only M. javanica, and not M. hapla or M. incognita, has been found to increase the severity of Fusarium wilt on chrysanthemum (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. javanica on chrysanthemum in Colombia. References: (1) G. Arbeláez. Acta Hortic. 482:91, 1999. (2) A. W. Johnson and R. H. Littrell. J. Nematol. 1:122. 1969.