Plant nematodes associated with fruit trees in northern Australia

Abstract

Sixteen genera of plant parasitic nematodes were found in 64 soil samples taken around fruit trees of 20 different genera at Kununurra, Darwin, or Adelaide River. Hemicriconemoides cocophilus, Basirolaimus seinhorsti, Rotylenchulus reniformis, Helicotylenchus s p p., and Xiphinema s p p. were found in more than 25% of samples, and Meloidogyne spp.in 16%. Paratrichodorus minor and Rotylenchus incultus were common at Kununurra. Nematodes found in plant roots at Darwin included M. javanica and R. reniformis on Carica papaya, Radopholus similis on Musa sp., Scutellonema brachyurum on Spondias cytherea. Tylenchulus semipenetrans was found in Citrus sp. roots at Adelaide River. Helicotylenchus dihystera was found in roots of Annona spp. at both these places.