The Plant-Parasitic Nematode Genus Meloidogyne Goeldi, 1892 (Tylenchida) in Europe

The genus Meloidogyne Goldi, 1892, or root-knot nematodes, represent a relatively small but economically important group of obligate plant pathogens. They are distributed worldwide and parasitize on almost every higher plant species. While reproducing and feeding within roots, they induce galls or root-knots and disorder the physiology of the infected plant, reducing crop yield and product quality. More than 80 nominal species have been described worldwide, while 20 species have been detected in Europe up to the point of this text’s publication. This work includes a historical review of the genus, followed by a revision of the European species, and a study on one of the most characteristic morphological structures within the genus: the perineal pattern.