Xiphinema, Cobb, 1913

Torrini, Giulia, Strangi, Agostino, Simoncini, Stefania, Luppino, Maria, Roversi, Pio Federico & Marianelli, Leonardo, 2020, First report of Bursaphelenchus fungivorus (Nematoda: Aphelenchida) in Italy and an overview of nematodes associated with Crocus sativus L., Journal of Nematology 52 (1), pp. 1-11 : 8-9

Xiphinema Xiphinema spp. Corm

Iran Mahdikhani and Alvani (2013) India Zaki and Mantoo (2008)

feed and reproduce ( Townshend, 1964). Mycophagous nematodes can reduce or even stop the growth of fungi causing hyphal shrinkage ( Riffle, 1971) and the application of this kind of nematodes for the control of some fungi harmful to crops has been described in several studies (e.g. Ishibashi and Choi, 1991; LagerlÖf et al., 2011).

Between the root-inhabiting fungi reported as hosts of B. fUngiVOrUS there are: Alternaria SOlani , BOtrytiS Cinerea , FUSariUm CUlmOrUm , FUSariUm OXySpOrUm , FUSariUm SOlani , OphiObOlUS graminiS , PythiUm debaryanUm , PythiUm UltimUm , RhiZOCtOnia SOlani , TriChOderma Viride and VertiCillim albO-atrUm ( Townshend, 1964). Some of these have been reported as pathogens of saffron ( Ahrazem et al., 2010), one of the most destructive diseases in C. SatiVUS cultivation is FUSariUm OXySpOrUm because it causes severe yield losses ( Cappelli, 1994).

BUrSaphelenChUS fUngiVOrUS is the most reported species among the nematode of the fUniVOrUS -group. The host range of the nematodes in this particular group is relatively wide with respect to the other BUrSaphelenChUS groups because the species have been found associated not only with coniferous dead or dying trees or insect vectors, but also in other type of trees ( BUrSaphelenChUS kiyOharai ( Kanzaki et al., 2011) , BUrSaphelenChUS maXbaSSienSiS ( Massey, 1971), BUrSaphelenChUS penai ( Kanzaki et al., 2014a) , BUrSaphelenChUS SyCOphilUS ( Kanzaki et al., 2014b) and B. willibaldi ), in the plant tissues of herbaceous crops ( B. fUngiVOrUS and BUrSaphelenChUS hUnti ( Steiner, 1935; Giblin and Kaya, 1983), in soil ( BUrSaphelenChUS gOnZaleZi ( Loof, 1964) and B. Seani) and in peat moss ( BUrSaphelenChUS rOCkyi ( Xu et al., 2018; Steiner, 1935; Loof, 1964; Massey, 1971; Mahajan, 1973; Fotedar and Handoo, 1977; Giblin and Kaya, 1983; SchÖnfeld et al., 2006; Kanzaki et al., 2011; Kanzaki et al., 2014a, 2014b; Xu et al., 2018). Since many BUrSaphelenChUS of the fUngiVOrUS -group have been found in subterranean organs of plants or directly in the soil, the nematodes of this group are likely to have a predisposition to underground life and are not closely related to the wood of the trees.

In conclusion, in this work, a new species of Italian nematode fauna was isolated, in particular, associated with C. SatiVUS plants. Further research about the role of B. fUngiVOrUS as the control agent against pathogenic fungi on corms of C. SatiVUS will have to be performed.