Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with Paphiopedilum appletonianum (Gower) Rolfe 1896

The genus Paphiopedilum Pfitzer includes many plant species that are threatened with extinction. The groups of plant-parasitic nematodes that have been published parasitising orchids show that the stem and leaf nematode group and the root nematode group are all present and cause direct damage to this orchid genus. Besides, plant-parasitic nematodes are also one of the vectors for other pests to invade and cause quality damage to commercial orchids. Therefore, this study was carried out with the goal of initially identifying the main nematode species that parasitises Paphiopedilum appletonianum (Gower) Rolfe 1896 collected in Ba Na natural forest (Da Nang) to serve for prevention of plant diseases in the conservation of this orchid species. As a result, for the first time, 12 species of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with Paphiopedilum appletonianum in Vietnam have been recorded. The study has described the two main species, Paratrichodorus minor and Helicotylenchus dihystera, that are present with high density in soil and that are present also in stems and roots, what enables the appropriate preventive measures could be undertaken during the conservation of this rareorchid species.