Detection,diagnosis and pathogenic potential of Meloidogyne incognita on passion fruit from Mizoram,India

Root knot nematode (meloidogyne incognita) infects passion fruit (passiflora edulis) in mizoram,india and infected plants showed declined symptoms and poor fruit yield. infested plants displayed stunting and yellowing and thick-root symptoms. the association of the root knot nematode species was identified based on observations on morphology of different life stages,beta-esterase phenotype and amplification of rdna and partial sequence homology of its-1and its-2. host differential tests confirmed the race 2 of m. incognita infecting passion fruit. pathogenic relationship with the passion fruit was proved through inoculation studies and inoculated plants also produced almost similar above-ground symptoms and profuse root galling. the pathogenic potential of m. incognita on passion fruit was determined; the minimum 10 second stage juvenile (j2)/200 cc soil can cause reduction of plant growth parameters and highest reproduction (r=87.27). copyright 2017 zoological society of pakistan.