Objective:

To study the intraspecific variability in different populations of Radopholus similis.

Scope:

R. similis populations coming mainly from the Southwest of Caldas-Colombia.

Methodology:

Nineteen morphometric and allometric characters were measured in females and males of R. similis collected in the municipalities of Anserma, Belalcázar, Carepa and Palestina, which were analyzed using principal components and hierarchical clusters. Likewise, the partial ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and the 18S gene of the rRNA ribosomal corresponding to the populations of R. similis were amplified by PCR and sequenced. With these sequences, and 61 additional sequences obtained from the NCBI database, a haplotype network was built to detect the genetic variation of the species.

Main Results:

The morphometric characterization showed that R. similis females from the municipalities of Anserma and Belalcázar had a more elongated esophagus, and those from the municipality of Palestina were more robust in the region above the level of the base of the stylet, with more elongated bodies and esophagus. Molecular analyzes of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of the rRNA did not show intraspecific variability among the of R. similis populations studied. However, the haplotypic network built in this study, together with that collected from the NCBI database, revealed intraspecific variability among R. similis populations of Africa and Southeast Asia.

Conclusions:

It was not possible to detect molecular variability among the R. similis populations studied. However, morphometric variability was found among R. similis populations from the municipalities of Anserma, Belalcázar, Carepa, and Palestina, Colombia.

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