Zina Ahmed Khalaf from Department of Plant Protection successfully defended his Ph.D. work with the title “Study of the Geographical Distribution of Root-Knot Nematode Species in Some Tomato Fields, the Susceptibility of Certain Cultivars to Infection, and Their Control”.
The study aimed to determine the distribution and population density of root-knot nematode species in selected tomato fields, to classify these species morphologically and molecularly, and to evaluate the susceptibility of certain tomato cultivars to infection.
The researcher recommended expanding the use of molecular diagnostic techniques to achieve more accurate and rapid identification of root-knot nematode species compared to traditional morphological diagnosis. She also recommended conducting further studies on local and imported tomato cultivars to select those that are more resistant and better adapted to Iraq’s environmental conditions.
