Taxonomic information	Current valid scientific name: Hoplolaimus galeatus (Cobb, 1913) Thorne, 1935 Synonyms: – Name used in the EU legislation: not regulated in the EU Name used in the Dossier: Hoplolaimus galeatus (Cobb, 1913) Thorne, 1935 Order: Rhabditida Family: Hoplolaimidae
Group	Nematoda
EPPO code	HOLLGA
Regulated status	EU status: – Non‐ EU: A1 list: Argentina (2019) (EPPO, online)
Pest status in Turkey	Present (Turkish dossier)
Pest status in the EU	Present in Spain (Fauna Europea, online)
Host status on Malus domestica	Apple, Malus domestica is recorded as a host of lance nematode Hoplolaimus galeatus (Pokharel, 2001; Crow & Brammer, 2001).
PRA information	There is no PRA available.
Other relevant information for the assessment
Biology	Hoplolaimus galeatus belongs to the group of lance nematodes, Hoplolaimus spp. It is a polyphagous, migratory endoparasite that occurs in both soil and roots and feeds on the cortical and vascular tissue of host plants. It can also be found feeding ectoparasitically. This nematode is widely distributed in the USA parasitising various field crops, grasses and woody plants (Siddiqi, 2000). It is also found in Canada, Sumatra, India, Tanzania, Central and South America (Pokharel, 2011), Pakistan (CABI online), Australia (Nambiar et al., 2008), Spain (Fauna Europea online) and Turkey (Kepenekci, 2001; Kepenekci, 2002). In Turkey, H. galeatus has been found on sweet chestnut, cowpea, sesame, vegetable, kidney bean, plum, peach, olive, sunflower and apple. According to the available information, the nematode has been reported in four regions (Antalya, Isparta, Sinop, Eskisehir) (Kepenekci, 2001, 2002; Kepenekci and Zeki, 2002). So far, no epidemics or economic losses have been reported in Turkey.
Symptoms	Main type of symptoms	Above‐ground symptoms caused by H. galeatus on turfgrasses are manifested by slow growth, turf thinning, wilting, poor response to adequate fertilisation and irrigation, and premature decay. These symptoms typically occur in irregular patterns throughout the turf stand. By the time above‐ground symptoms of a nematode infestation appear, the root system has already suffered significant damage. Infested roots show typical nematode damage. By moving and feeding, H. galeatus causes large necrotic lesions in the roots. The root system is reduced and there are hardly any small feeder roots left. The root tips appear to be dead and new roots are growing behind the injured tips. These new roots are usually damaged as well.
	Presence of asymptomatic plants	Symptoms caused by plant parasitic nematodes are often not very obvious because the population in the rhizosphere is usually small. Damage by plant parasitic nematodes (including H. galeatus) is usually more pronounced when plants are under stress due to lack of water or nutrients or are damaged by other diseases or insects. Above‐ground symptoms depend on the severity of the infestation. In general, symptoms caused by Hoplolaimus spp. on plants are inconspicuous when the nematode population is low and can be easily overlooked. In Turkey (see Turkish dossier), roots are examined macroscopically only for the presence of root galls caused by root‐knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Necrotic lesions caused by other nematodes are not monitored.
	Confusion with other pathogens/pests	Above‐ground symptoms depend on the severity of the infestation. If the nematode population is high, plants may be stunted, yellowing and unthrifty in appearance. Plants may wilt during the heat of the day and recover at night. Crop yields are reduced. These symptoms result from reduced water and nutrient availability due to impaired root function. Symptoms may be confused with mineral deficiencies, drought, or other soil‐dwelling pests and diseases, such as root‐knot nematodes and other root rot pathogens. More informative is damage to the root system. Parasitised roots may darken and develop poorly. Small feeder roots are gone, and root tips appear dead. If new roots have begun to grow, they are usually damaged as well. This damage to the root system is responsible for the yellow or dying areas in the grass. H. galeatus can easily be confused with other organisms living in the soil.
Host plant range	Alfalfa, apple, bananas, beans, Bermuda grass, boxwood, cabbage, carnation, Chinese holly, chrysanthemums, clover, corn, cotton, cranberry, grape, grasses, creeping bentgrass, creeping grasses, oak, peach, peanuts, peas, pine, slash pine, soybean, sweet potatoes, sugarcane, sycamore, tall fescue, vetch, wheat, white clover, etc. (Nemaplex; Mac Gowan and Dunn, 1989; Ye, 2018).
Reported evidence of impact	H. galeatus is a serious pest in native lawns and golf courses. It is considered an economically important pest of turfgrasses in Florida (Mac Gowan and Dunn, 1998; Nemaplex; Crow and Brammer, 2001) where it is ranked immediately after sting nematode (Belonolaimus longicaudatus), which is considered the most damaging nematode species to turfgrasses (Crow and Brammer, 2001; Crow, 2015). H. galeatus can also be very damaging to many crops, such as cotton, soybeans, alfalfa, and corn (Ye, 2018; Siddiqi, 2000). By feeding on the roots of grasses, H. galeatus destroys the root system. The damaged roots are dark, necrotic and have dead root tips; small feeder roots are not present. Destruction of the root system results in yellowing and drying of the grass. In cotton, it can cause significant damage to cortex and vascular tissue; without adequate moisture, cotton plants are susceptible to stunting, yellowing, and defoliation. In pines, cortex of infested roots may be destroyed; pine seedlings may die by up to 50%. In sycamores, this nematode can cause extensive root necrosis and a marked decrease in fresh weight (Fortuner, 1991; Nemaplex). According to Bird and Melakeberhan (1993), H. galeatus is also a problem in some orchards (apple, cherry and peach) in Michigan, USA. By feeding on the roots, H. galeatus not only causes damage individually, but also forms disease complexes with other soil‐dwelling microorganisms (bacteria and fungi).
Pathways and evidence that the commodity is a pathway	–Plants, plants for planting (roots) –Soil and growing media as such or attached to plants –Soil and growing media attached to machinery, tools, packaging materials etc.
Surveillance information	In order to identify plant pests and diseases in the planting material to be exported from Turkey, a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 25 saplings are taken at random from the planting in the nursery, sealed by the inspector and sent to the laboratory for analysis. The saplings in the growing area are examined macroscopically for pests. If pest infestation is suspected, samples are again taken and sent to the laboratory for analysis.