THE DIFFERENTIATION OF PARASITIC NEMATODES USING RANDOM AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA

DNA from species and races of plant parasitic nematodes (Meloidogyne, Globodera and Heterodera) and a human parasitic nematode (Trichinella) were subjected to polymerase chain reaction amplification using one a rbitrary primer (M-10). This technique results in relatively simple DN A profiles that include polymorphic markers known as random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs). The RAPD profiles of the plant nematode speci es of Meloidogyne made possible the identification of M. incognita and M. hapla, but no differences were found between the patterns of M. ja vanica, M. arenaria and M. graminicola. Moreover, the four races of M. incognita were indistinguishable by this primer. In contrast, when ra ces of the plant nematode Globodera rostochiensis (Ro1 and Ro2/3) were studied under the same RAPDs conditions, a race specific profile allo ws these two most devastating races to be differentiated. When DNAs of eight Trichinella isolates were subjected to RAPD studies, four diffe rent patterns were identified, corresponding to the four Trichinella d usters previously defined by isozyme polymorphism.