MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS AND INITIAL REGISTRATION OF TWO RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS STRAINS IN IRAQ/DIYALA GOVERNORATE

The study was conducted during the 2023-2024 agricultural season on the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus in infested orchards in Diyala Governorate, from the beginning of March to the end of November 2024. The aim was to conduct a molecular diagnosis of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus. The results of the study confirmed the initial recording of two strains of the insect in Diyala Governorate. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology was used to amplify the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, which is one of the most conserved regions in many organisms .The gene sequences of the PCR products were analyzed using the Sanger method, then they matched to global strains and registered in the National Center for Biotechnology Information's Global GenBank. The evolutionary tree was drawn and the genetic divergence values between them and global strains were also evaluated by using the MEGA11 program.For the first time in Iraq, the study was able to record two strains of the insect, which were deposited with serial numbers PQ496644 and PQ522231, respectively. The results also confirmed the existence of varying matching rates between local strains and a number of strains recorded in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Greece, and this was confirmed by the values of genetic divergence. The strain with serial number PQ496644 was most identical to the Greek strain, and both strains belonged to the species Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.