Investıgatıon of genetıc varıatıon among cyst nematode populatıons usıng molecular tools

Cereal cyst nematode (CCN), Heterodera spp. is one of the main pests that can cause crop losses in wheat production areas in the world and in our country. In this study, it was aimed to identify 24 Cereal cyst nematode populations on morphologically and molecularly obtained from wheat production areas of Eastern Mediterranean (Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay, Kahramanmaraş) and Southeastern Anatolia (Gaziantep, Kilis and Mardin) regions and to investigate the differences between populations. In the study, classical diagnosis was achieved based on the characteristics of the second stage juveniles (body length, stylet length, tail length, hyaline length) and female individuals (fenestral length, semi fenestral width, vulval bridge width and vulval slit length) of CCN populations. In the RFLP method, CCN populations were identified at the molecular level and their genetic differences were determined using four different endonuclease enzymes, specifically Alul, PstI, BsuRI (HaeIII) and Rsal, species-specific AvenF-COI/AvenR-COI, HfF/HfR and H-LatF/H-LatR SCAR primers and the sequences of rDNA-ITS gene region. As a result of the study, classical and molecular diagnostic results confirmed each other, Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay and Gaziantep populations were identified as Heterodera avenae, Kahramanmaraş and Bolu populations were identified as H. filipjevi, and Kilis and Mardin populations were defined as H. latipons. In addition, it was concluded that molecular techniques (SCAR primers, RFLP, rDNA-ITS sequence) are rapid and reliable method to diagnose CCN populations.