First report of southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, infecting papaya in Florida, USA

Papaya trees showing disease symptoms caused by root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) were detected in a tropical fruit farm in Vero Beach, FL, USA. Roots were severely galled containing a high population density of root-knot nematode eggs. The nematode species causing damage was identified as M. incognita based on the morphometrics of body, stylet, and tail length of the second-stage juveniles, and morphological characteristics of female perineal patterns. Molecular analyses using both species-specific and universal primers also confirmed the species identity. A pathogenicity test confirmed M. incognita reproduction on papaya by producing nematode females and egg masses within the root galls. This report documents the first confirmed detection of M. incognita in papaya in Florida, USA, providing detailed information on the nematode's morphology characteristics and DNA sequence data.