Incidence of root-knot nematodes on different date-palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars

A survey was conducted in different randomly selected localities of the date-palm (phoenix dactylifera l.) growing areas of district kharan for the determination of incidence, prevalence, severity and identification of major species of root-knot nematodes. during the survey, a total of 160 root samples were collected from different localities and cultivars of date-palm. the maximum prevalence was recorded from locality nouroz kalat (100%) and the minimum prevalence recorded was (20%) from totazai and raskoh. the incidence, as well as severity varied in all the cultivars. the maximum severity and incidence of root-knot nematode was recorded from date-palm cultivar rabi (90%) followed by alini (80%) with galling index of 4 and the minimum was recorded in cultivar kaluth (20%) with a galling index of 1. the root samples collected from date-palm cultivars showed the occurrence of two species of root-knot nematode meloidogyne incognita and meloidogyne javanica which were found to be associated with date-palm in district kharan. in the present study date-palm (phoenix dactylifera l.) is reported as a new host of meloidogyne javanica in pakistan.