SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE LESION NEMATODE, PRATYLENCHUS GOODEYI, IN STOOLS OF EAST AFRICAN HIGHLAND BANANA

Knowledge about sites preferred by the lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus goodeyi) and its density in banana stools may be helpful for the selection of clean banana planting material. Ten stools of highland banana cv. Nyoya, in a moderately infected field with P. goodeyi, were uprooted carefully with their root systems intact. The total number of nematodes was counted on the whole root systems and corm peelings of grandmother, mother, daughter (maiden sucker), and grand-daughter (peeper) plants of the stools. The results revealed a gradual decrease of population density of nematodes in the roots and corms from the grandmother to the grand-daughter plants. A few nematodes were found in soils around all plants. This work provides information on population density of P. goodeyi, and its positioning in whole banana stools. The finding may help on the selection of planting materials and their pre-planting treatment, as well as in nematode inoculation experiments, and orientation of the follower sucker.