NOTES ON TAXONOMY AND BIOLOGY: Female M. artiellia have a cuticular perineal pattern with a very distinct inner area which contains vulva and anus. This area is marked by a few coarse striae in an eight-shaped figure with a large base and a small top. This root-knot nematode has sedentary endoparasitic habits. Second-stage juveniles (J2) penetrate host roots where they establish a specialized feeding site (giant cells) in the stele. As J2 develop; they cause root swellings and become swollen females. Females rupture root cortex and sometimes protrude from the root surface with egg masses. J2 emerge from the egg masses and migrate in the soil.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION: This root-knot nematode is a Mediterranean species, which occurs in Algeria, England, France, Greece, Italy, Israel, Morocco, Spain, Syria, and Tunisia. It has been reported in western Siberia (Greco, et al,. 1992; Shiabova, 1981).

HOSTS: Meloidogyne artiellia infects and damages cereals such as barley (Hordeum vulgare), sorghum (Sorghum vulgare), and wheat (Triticum durum and T. vulgare); crucifer crops such as cabbage (Brassica oleravea), cauliflower (B. oleracea var. Botrytis), radish (Raphanus sativus), rashad (Nasturtium fontanum), and turnip (Brassica rapa); and leguminous crops such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa), broad bean (Vicia faba), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), clovers (Trifolium incarnatum and T. repens), dogtooth pea (Lathyrus sativus), and vetch (Vicia sativa ).

CROP LOSSES: Consistent damage on chickpea has been observed in fields after rotation with wheat. Damage to wheat has been reported in Mediterranean countries where wheat is continuously grown (Di Vito and Greco, 1988; Kyrou, 1969, Sikora and Greco, 1990). Microplot studies indicate this nematode may reduce yields 80% in chickpea and wheat (DiVito and Greco, 1988b).

MEANS OF MOVEMENT AND DISPERSAL: Through root material, soil debris and poorly sanitized bare root propagative plant material.

RATING: (M) A moderate priority rating was given to this nematode, based on consideration given to nematode's distribution, host range, and economic importance.

REFERENCES:
    Di Vito, M. and N. Greco. 1988a. Investigation on the biology of Meloidogyne artiellia. Revue de Nématologie 11:221-225.
    Di Vito, M. and N. Greco. 1988b. Effect of population densities of Meloidogyne artiellia on yield of wheat. Nematologia mediterranea 16:167-169.
    Greco, N., N. Vovlas, M. Di Vito, and R. N. Inserra. 1992. Meloidogyne artiellia: a root-knot nematode parasite of cereals and other field crops. Nematology Circular No. 201, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Gainesville, FL, USA.
    Kyrou, N. C. 1969. First occurrence of Meloidogyne artiellia on wheat in Greece. Nematologica 15:432-433.
    Sikora, R. A. and N. Greco. 1990. Nematode parasites of food legumes. Pp. 181-235 in M. Luc, R. A. Sikora, and J. Bridge eds. Plant parasitic nematodes in tropical and subtropical agriculture.  Wallingford, UK: CAB International