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Summary The population of Xiphinema americanum species group was detected from the soil surronding the roots of peach (Prunus persica) during a survey of plant-parasitic nematodes in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. From the results of the morphological study, the species was identified as X. diffusum. Morphometrics of X. diffusum generally agree with those of the type species and the topotype specimens. Molecular analysis of 18S rDNA of X. diffusum from Pakistan indicated two nucleotide differences and 99 % similarity with the Chinese (AM086669) and the Australian (AM086685) population of X. diffusum. Phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA placed the Pakistanis population close to X. diffusum from China and Australia. This species is reported for the first time from Pakistan

In a comprehensive survey of plant-parasitic nematodes of Gilgit Province, Pakistan, Quinisulcius capitatus (Allen, 1955) Siddiqi, 1971, was detected from 10 localities at high population density (≥1000 nematodes/100 g of soil) infecting different crop plantations. Morphplogical and molecular variations using principle component analysis of Q. capitatus have been given in this research. This species is characterized by body length (605–856 μm in females and 536–662 μm in males), stylet length (13–19 μm), pharynx (114–174 μm), tail length (40–56 μm in females and 38–50 μm in males), spicules (16–22 μm) and gubernaculum (6–8 μm). Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the morphometric variation among the Pakistani populations of Q. capitatus. Phylogenetic analysis using the D2-D3 segment of 28S rDNA and ITS rDNA placed the Pakistani population of Q. capitatus in a clade with 100 posterior probability supports. Table with measurements, line illustrations, LM photographs, PCA plot and phylogenetic position for Q. capitatus within Dolchodoridae is given.

Cyst nematode, the Heterodera Schmidt (1871) is one of the most widely distributed and economically important plant parasitic nematode genus. During the present investigation of plant-parasitic nematode fauna from Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan, four cyst nematode species viz., Heterodera avenae Wollenweber, 1924; H. mani Mathews,1971; H. schachtii Schmidt, 1871 and H. zeae Koshy, Swarup and Sethi, 1971 were detected from all four districts.