Laporan Pertama di Sulawesi Selatan: Karakter Morfologi dan Molekuler Nematoda Puru Akar yang Berasosiasi dengan Akar Padi di Kabupaten Wajo, Sulawesi Selatan

Root Knot Nematode (RKN) is one of the most important cosmopolite parasitic nematode species. Reports on RKN associated with rice root in Indonesia are still limited in West Java and Yogyakarta. This study aimed to identify the RKN associated with rice root in Sub-district of Bola, District of Wajo, South Sulawesi, based on morphological and molecular characters. Sampling was carried out by purposive method based on specific criteria of sample, i.e. root knot. Identification of root knot nematode (RKN) infestation in field was done by observing the primary and secondary symptoms. Morphological identification was carried out based on characters of juvenile 2 and the female perineal pattern. Molecular identification was based on amplification of r-DNA by polymerase chain reaction technique using primers rDNA2 and rDNA 1.58s. RKN were detected associated with the incidence of root knot in rice plant. RKN was identified as Meloidogyne graminicola based on morphological characters of juvenile 2 and the female perineal pattern. PCR using primer rDNA 2 / rDNA 1.58s successfully amplified a DNA band of RKN of ± 500 bp. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that RKN isolated from Wajo was closely related to M. graminicola isolated from Nepal, China, India, Madagascar, and USA with homology of 98.1–100.00%.