Terminology
Biological nomenclature:
The genus and species of each organism must be identified by its Linnaean binomial, which should be italicized and fully spelled out for each first use in text, figure captions and table titles. As applicable, additional information may be included to identify authority, cultivar or varietal names, breed, race, or accession number. If the word “cultivar” (or “cv.”) precedes the actual cultivar name (e.g., soybean cv. Kirby, or .... the soybean cultivars were Forrest, Picket, and Hartwig), the cultivar name is not bounded by quotation marks. Use single quotation marks if the cultivar name immediately follows the botanical name (e.g., Arachis hypogaea “Florunner”). Complete authorities and dates are required in taxonomic and systematic papers, but would not typically be included in other manuscripts. When new names of nematodes are introduced, the recommendations of the “International Code of Zoological Nomenclature” (1985) should be strictly applied, especially regarding type designation and statements indicating where such type material is deposited.
If common names are used for nematodes, they should conform to the names listed here. Common crop names should not end in the letter “s” (e.g., “oat” not “oats”), although the plural form is appropriate for seed of each crop (e.g., soybeans, peanuts). If commonly accepted model organisms are mentioned (e.g., Arabidopsis, C. elegans, Medicago, etc.), it is correct not to italicize these names, as they are not intended to be Linnaean binomials. However, as with all organisms mentioned in JON, the Linnaean binomial must be spelled out at the first use (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Medicago truncatula).
Genetic nomenclature:
Authors naming strains, genes, alleles, loci identified as DNA polymorphisms, and molecular clones should follow the guidelines specified in vol. 26, pp.138-143 of JON. Information about this nomenclature can be obtained from the Chairman of the Oversight Committee facilitating genetic nomenclature standardization, currently David Bird (david_bird@ncsu.edu).
Nematological phrases and terminology:
A number of terms are used synonymously in the broader nematology literature, most notably juvenile and larva, hypodermis and epidermis, and pharynx and esophagus; an etymological and historical discussion of the use of these terms has been presented by Bird and Bird (1991). JON authors are free to choose which of these terms is most appropriate in their manuscript, providing they are consistent. The name of plant diseases caused by nematodes should not include the word disease (e.g., “red ring of palm” is preferred to “red ring disease;” “pinewilt” is preferred to “pinewilt disease”).