A research team at the College of Agriculture, University of Kerbala, consisting of Master’s student Sura Ali Abdul Karim, Assistant Professor Dr. Ali Abdul Hussein Karim, and Prof. Dr. Adnan Abdul Jalil Lahouf, has reached the first molecular diagnosis and characterization in Iraq and the fourth in the world of the mitochondrial genome of the tomato leaf miner isolate Karbala-1 T. absoluta, which causes significant economic losses in many vegetable crops and ornamental plants in Iraq. This molecular diagnosis and complete genome sequencing of the mitochondrial nematode Oscheius myriophilus strain Karbala-1, which is parasitic on this insect, in addition to the symbiotic bacteria that are present inside these nematodes, were also carried out. This record is the first of its kind in Iraq, as the harmful insect, the parasitic nematode that live inside it, and the symbiotic bacteria that are present inside these nematodes were diagnosed in one process, which saved time, effort and costs. This record was documented in the gene bank of the International Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States, and special codes were assigned to this insect, the nematode and the symbiotic bacteria that were named after Karbala Governorate.
