[1] The peanut root knot nematode, M. arenaria is one of the "major" Meloidogyne species because of its worldwide economic importance.

[2] M. arenaria is a predominant nematode species in the United States attacking peanut in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.

[3] The most damaging nematode species for peanut in the USA is M. arenaria race 1 and losses can exceed 50% in severely infested fields.

Individual peanut fields heavily infested with the root-knot nematode have sustained yield losses greater than 75%.

In addition to causing considerable damage alone, it also increases the severity and incidence of other soil-borne diseases such as southern stem rot and Cylindrocladium blackrot.

[10] Mature females of M. arenaria are identified by the cuticular markings in the perineal area, stylet length, punctations on the cuticle.

[7][10] When describing the morphology of M. arenaria race 1, Eisenback et al. (1981) reported that in females, the dorsal arch is flattened and rounded.

[11] In a study in Argentina, perineal patterns of 100 females from a population of M. arenaria, race 2 growing on tomato plants were analyzed and moderate morphological variations observed.

Lines in the post-anal region were smooth or wavy, continuous or broken, occasionally forming shoulders (18% of females).

Only seven out of one hundred females presented perineal patterns with lateral lines weakly demarcated by forked striae.

The excretory pore of the females was located closer to the base of the stylet than to the median bulb, at approximately 2-stylet lengths, in agreement with a typical M. arenaria specimen.

[7] They can appear in a peanut crop beginning about 100 days after planting or after periods of dry hot weather.

The presence of galls on roots, pegs and pods appears as single or multiple wart-like growths that may or may not be discolored.

Reproduction occurs mitotically by parthenogenesis and the species has chromosome numbers that range from 30 to 50[2] The life cycle of all Meloidoigyne spp is similar but they have different temperature requirements.

Second stage juveniles (J2) hatch from the egg and move freely in the soil in quest for a suitable host plant.

Once they find suitable host and enter the root with the help of the stylet, they start to feed within 24 hours, inducing giant cells to form.

Females lay eggs in the gelatinous matrix which hatch again and the cycle is repeated if environmental conditions are favorable.

Recent studies suggest that the attraction may not be to CO2 but to lower pH resulting from carbonic acid formed from the CO2 in solution.

[7] The second juvenile (J2) penetrates zone of elongation by mechanical (stylet thrusts) and probably chemical (cellulase and pectinase) means.

Giant cell are very large in size (100 fold increase), with reduced vacuoles and they are multinucleate containing about 40 to 100 nuclei.

[5] While characterizing the host range of the peanut root knot nematode, López-Pérez et al., 2011, reported that the most frequent hosts of the peanut root knot nematode were vegetables, fruit trees, tobacco, grapevine, and weeds.