Nematode diversity and community structure assessment in different vegetations of Jammu division of J & K, India

Nematodes are critical for soil processes, and changes in nematode community structure have the potential to have a significant impact on ecosystem functioning. As a result, fluctuations in nematode diversity and community structure can be used to ascertain the functional biodiversity of a soil. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different vegetation and soil pH and N on nematode structure and diversity from ten different sites (Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar) of the Jammu division. The highest absolute frequency of plant parasitic nematodes (91-100%) was observed in subtropical forests in Ramban, temperate forests in Doda, while the highest absolute frequency of bacterivorous nematodes (84-87%) was observed in crop soil in Reasi and Jammu. Soil pH had a detrimental effect on nematodes; bacteriovores were abundant at low pH, and plant parasitic at higher pH. The total nitrogen content also increased in all nematode trophic groups except omnivores. Ecological indices such as the enrichment index (EI), channel index (CI) and maturity index (MI) values indicated that crop soil with organic management is more nematode-friendly and has a better soil health status than other soil ecosystems. Nematode community structure indices may be helpful as soil monitoring tools and for assessing ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity

Advances in Nematode Identification: A Journey from Fundamentals to Evolutionary Aspects

Nematodes are non-segmented roundworms evenly distributed with various habitats ranging to approximately every ecological extremity. These are the least studied organisms despite being the most diversified group. Nematodes are the most critical equilibrium-maintaining factors, having implications on the yield and health of plants as well as well-being of animals. However, taxonomic knowledge about nematodes is scarce. As a result of the lack of precise taxonomic features, nematode taxonomy remains uncertain. Morphology-based identification has proved inefficacious in identifying and exploring the diversity of nematodes, as there are insufficient morphological variations. Different molecular and new evolving methodologies have been employed to augment morphology-based approaches and bypass these difficulties with varying effectiveness. These identification techniques vary from molecular-based targeting DNA or protein-based targeting amino acid sequences to methods for image processing. High-throughput approaches such as next-generation sequencing have also been added to this league. These alternative approaches have helped to classify nematodes and enhanced the base for increased diversity and phylogeny of nematodes, thus helping to formulate increasingly more nematode bases for use as model organisms to study different hot topics about human well-being. Here, we discuss all the methods of nematode identification as an essential shift from classical morphometric studies to the most important modern-day and molecular approaches for their identification. Classification varies from DNA/protein-based methods to the use of new emerging methods. However, the priority of the method relies on the quality, quantity, and availability of nematode resources and down-streaming applications. This paper reviews all currently offered methods for the detection of nematodes and known/unknown and cryptic or sibling species, emphasizing modern-day methods and budding molecular techniques

<em>Salmonella</em> Infection and Pathogenesis

Salmonella genus represents most common food borne pathogens isolated from food producing animals and is responsible for causing zoonotic infections in humans and other animal species, including birds. As a result, Salmonella diseases are among the most common problems for the humans, animals, and food industry around the world. Despite rising attention about other pathogens, Salmonella continues to be the most prominent cause of food borne disease worldwide. Salmonella can be transferred to humans at any point along the farm-to-fork chain, most commonly through infected animal-derived foods such as poultry and poultry related products (eggs), pork, fish, and so on. Some Salmonella serotypes have been confined to a single serovar and are known as “host-restricted” while the others have a wide host spectral range and are known as “host-adapted” serotypes. Globally Salmonella infection causes huge mortality and the infection plays a huge role in immune response by evolving multiple mechanism to subvert immunity to its own benefit. Numerous infectivity markers and determinants have indeed been reported to play essential role in Salmonella pathogenesis to colonize its host by invading and avoiding the host’s intestinal shielding system

Description of Loffienema dhanoriensis gen. n., sp. n. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) from Jammu and Kashmir State, India

Shah, Li. A., Allie, Kaisar Ahmad, Vaid, Shavish, Handoo, Zafar A. (2018): Description of Loffienema dhanoriensis gen. n., sp. n. (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) from Jammu and Kashmir State, India. Zootaxa 4402 (1): 189-194, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4402.1.1

Advances in Nematode Identification: A Journey from Fundamentals to Evolutionary Aspects

Nematodes are non-segmented roundworms evenly distributed with various habitats ranging to approximately every ecological extremity. These are the least studied organisms despite being the most diversified group. Nematodes are the most critical equilibrium-maintaining factors, having implications on the yield and health of plants as well as well-being of animals. However, taxonomic knowledge about nematodes is scarce. As a result of the lack of precise taxonomic features, nematode taxonomy remains uncertain. Morphology-based identification has proved inefficacious in identifying and exploring the diversity of nematodes, as there are insufficient morphological variations. Different molecular and new evolving methodologies have been employed to augment morphology-based approaches and bypass these difficulties with varying effectiveness. These identification techniques vary from molecular-based targeting DNA or protein-based targeting amino acid sequences to methods for image processing. High-throughput approaches such as next-generation sequencing have also been added to this league. These alternative approaches have helped to classify nematodes and enhanced the base for increased diversity and phylogeny of nematodes, thus helping to formulate increasingly more nematode bases for use as model organisms to study different hot topics about human well-being. Here, we discuss all the methods of nematode identification as an essential shift from classical morphometric studies to the most important modern-day and molecular approaches for their identification. Classification varies from DNA/protein-based methods to the use of new emerging methods. However, the priority of the method relies on the quality, quantity, and availability of nematode resources and down-streaming applications. This paper reviews all currently offered methods for the detection of nematodes and known/unknown and cryptic or sibling species, emphasizing modern-day methods and budding molecular techniques