Survey of Pulse Crop Field for Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in the Canadian Prairies

Sep 29, 2026

The distribution of economically significant plant-parasitic nematodes in pulse crops across the Canadian Prairies is poorly characterized. Reports suggested Ditylenchus dipsaci in yellow pea export may correspond to the nonquarantine species D. weischeri, associated with Canada thistle. To verify occurrence in pulse plants and map nematode distribution, a survey sampled 94 commercial yellow pea, lentil, and chickpea fields and collected pulse, thistle, and soil.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and motivation

Survey design and sampling

Nematode identification methods

JOURNAL OF NEMATOLOGY Research Paper | DOI: 10.2478/jofnem-2025-0040 e2025-1 | Vol. 57 Survey of Pulse Crop Field for Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in the Canadian Prairies F. Gouvea-Pereira1, M. Tenuta1,*, D. Risula2 and M. W. Harding3 1Department of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada 2Government of Saskatchewan. Special Crops. 125 - 3085 Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4S 0B1, Canada 3Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, Crop Diversification Center South, 301 Horticultural Station Road East, Brooks, AB T1R 1E6, Canada *[E-mail: mario.tenuta@umanitoba.ca](E-mail: mario.tenuta@umanitoba.ca)[ ](E-mail: mario.tenuta@umanitoba.ca)This paper was edited by Adrienne M. Gorny. Received for publication August 6 2024. Abstract The distribution of economically significant plant-parasitic nematodes in pulse crops in the Canadian Prairies is relatively unknown. Reports suggested that Ditylenchus dipsaci in yellow pea export was likely the nonquarantine species D. weischeri, a Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) parasite. To determine if D. dipsaci is found in pulse plants and understand nematode distribution in the Canadian Prairies, a survey was conducted in commercial yellow pea, lentil and chickpea fields in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba . Samples of pulse and thistle plants (flowers or pods, stems and leaves) and soil were collected from 94 fields. Nematodes were identified by morphological features and molecular analyses (species-specific PCR, PCR-RFLP, and sequencing of the partial 18S, 28S and ITS of the rDNA gene) . High densities of plant-parasitic nematodes — Pratylenchus, Paratylenchus, Helicotylenchus and Telotylenchinae — were found in several fields. Ditylenchus weischeri, a parasite of thistlesand not pulse crops, was recovered from 20 fields across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba; D. dipsaci was found in pods of one yellow pea field in Manitoba . These results confirm the high prevalence of D. weischeri on creeping thistle in pulse fields and the near absence of the quarantine pest D. dipsaci. Keywords Alberta, Canadian Prairies, chickpea, creeping thistle, detection, diagnosis, Ditylenchus dipsaci, Helicotylenchus, host-parasitic relationship, lentil, Manitoba, molecular biology, Paratylenchus projectus, pea, pin nematode, Pratylenchus neglectus, pulse, Quinisulcius capitatus, regulatory, root-lesion nematode, Saskatchewan, stem and bulb nematode, survey, Telotylenchinae, yellow pea Canada is the world’s largest exporter of pulses; more than 85% of its production is exported to more than 120 countries (Pulse Canada, 2024) . The main pulses grown in Canada are dry peas (Pisum sativum L.), lentils (Lens culinaris L.), chickpeas (Cicerarietinum L.) and dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)(Pulse Canada, 2024) . The largest pulse-growing areas are situated in the Canadian Prairies due to favorable agricultural conditions, such as suitable climate and fertile soil (Bekkering, 2015) . Saskatchewan and Alberta account for most of the pulse-producing area, with the remaining area in Manitoba (Bekkering, 2015) . Some plant-parasitic nematodes can negatively impact international markets’ access, as is the case with the quarantine pest Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn, 1857) Filipjev, 1936, which has been particularly problematic for yellow pea exports from Canada to ☉ Open Access. Published by Sciendo. © 2025 Gouvea-Pereira et al. This is an Open Access article licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license, [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) 1 Nematode Survey in the Canadian Prairies: Gouvea-Pereira et al. India. Ditylenchus dipsaci is a crop pest of quarantine status in many countries due to its wide host range and ability to cause extensive economic losses (Bélair et al., 2018) . Watson and Shorthouse (1979) reported D. dipsaci infesting Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense L.) in Saskatchewan. More recently,

FAQs

What was the main purpose of the survey in the Canadian Prairies?

To determine whether Ditylenchus dipsaci is present in pulse plants and to clarify nematode distribution in commercial yellow pea, lentil, and chickpea fields.

How were nematodes identified in the study?

Nematodes were identified using morphological features and molecular analyses, including species-specific PCR, PCR-RFLP, and sequencing of partial 18S, 28S, and ITS regions.

What did the study find regarding Ditylenchus dipsaci and Ditylenchus weischeri?

Ditylenchus weischeri was recovered from 20 fields across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, while D. dipsaci was detected only in pods of a single yellow pea field in Manitoba.

Sep 29, 2026

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