BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 23, Number 12, December 2022 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 6212-6217 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d231216 Identification of the root-knot nematode species associated with Carica papaya STELLA NOSTRA GRACIA PLENA, SIWI INDARTI  , ANI WIDIASTUTI, NUGROHO SUSETYO PUTRA Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Jl. Flora, Bulaksumur, Sleman 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Tel./fax.: +62-274-563062,  email: siwi.indarti@ugm.ac.id Manuscript received: 13 September 2022. Revision accepted: 4 December 2022. Abstract. Plena SNG, Indarti S, Widiastuti A, Putra NS. 2022. Identification of the root-knot nematode species associated with Carica papaya. Biodiversitas 23: 6212-6217. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are important economic pests causing low production and yield losses in horticultural crops. Meloidogyne spp. are widespread and regarded as major pests since they are found all over the world in a variety of geographic locations, most frequently found in tropical and subtropical climate zones. They are obligate parasites that feed on a wide variety of plants, including papaya and other horticultural plants. They are root galling in host plants. Many species of root knot nematodes may be found in a suitable environment. Therefore, accurate identification of the root-knot nematode species in papaya plants is important for developing and applying control and management measures. Surveys and sampling of nematodes on papaya plants were performed at the Agrotechnology Innovation Center, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and its surroundings. Identification was performed both morphologically (based on the perineal pattern of female nematodes) and molecularly (using root-knot nematode species-specific primers). The results revealed that the species of root-knot nematode associated with papaya plants were Meloidogyne javanica based on the perineal pattern of female nematodes, specifically the lateral lines. This finding was also supported by the results of the DNA amplification at 670-bp product using specific primers for M. javanica (FJav/RJav). Consequently, plant protection efforts will need to focus on minimizing M. javanica damage in papaya cultivation. Keywords: Identification, molecular, perineal pattern, root-knot nematode INTRODUCTION Papaya (Carica papaya) is a tropical fruit that is grown worldwide in tropical and subtropical climates (Koul et al. 2022). Papaya is widely cultivated since it has a high commercial value, due to the high market demand for fresh fruit and its processed products. Many traditional Asian dishes, including those from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and India, contain green papaya fruit, young leaves or shoots, and can be eaten raw or cooked (Burns et al. 2022). Over the last 20 years, the global production of papaya has increased significantly on 2016 (Zhou et al. 2021), and reached 13,894,705 tons in 2020 (FAO 2020). The chief producers of papaya are India, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and Nigeria (FAO 2019). In Indonesia, the average production of papaya in the year of 1994-2020 was 690,765 tons (FAO 2020). Papaya could be found in all province in Indonesia but East Java, Central Java and West Java was the top 3 Province with the highest production of papaya. The production of papaya in 2021 from East Java, Central Java and West Java were 253,700 tons, 142,034 tons, 124,466 tons, respectively (BPS 2022). The production of papaya plants is affected by various pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and nematodes, causing significant losses both during production and in postharvest contexts (Koul et al. 2022). Plant-parasitic nematodes cause damage plants and can cause substantial yield losses. Farming practices, surface water runoff and irrigation are responsible for the dissemination of nematodes (Bahadur 2021). The most prevalent nematodes in papaya crops across the world are root-knot nematodes, root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.), and reniform nematodes (Rotylenchus spp.). Root- knot nematodes are the most important cause of significant losses in agricultural crops, (Kesba et al. 2012; Lopes- Caitar et al 2019; Comejo-Condori et al. 2021), with losses caused from 15-20% (Padilla 2021). With root-knot nematode infestation, papaya roots atrophy, preventing the plant from absorbing sufficient water and this can lead to the death of the plant (Dagatti et al. 2014). This nematode has a stylet to pierces root cells and exude enzymatic secretions that lead to lesions, the induction of giant cells, and the development of root galls (Cornejo-Condori et al. 2021). Their infestation can lead to yellowing of plant leaves and stunted shoot development. Wilting can occur as a result of blocked xylem vessels (Ali et al. 2021). The second-stage juveniles penetrate roots and migrate between cells, and once feeding sites are established the roots respond with the formation of galls. They can infest all parts of the root system, including taproots and tubers, reducing the value of vegetable produce both economically and qualitatively. Root-knot nematodes could parasitize for about 3,000 record host plant species (Abad et al. 2003). Infestation of Meloidogyne spp. in papaya plants have been reported worldwide with various species for example, in Brazil and Colombia, the most common root-knot nematode species identified are Meloidogyne hapla, M. incognita, M. javanica, and M. arenaria (Padilla 2021).