NOTES ON NEMATODES FOUND IN IRRIGATION WATER IN SOUTHERN ITALY

Abstract

A survey carries out in Southern Italy to study the species composition and densities of plant parasitic nematodes occurring in irrigation canals showed that the species recorded were mainly ectoparasites and migratory endoparasites. Helicotylenchus vulgaris, Merlinius brevidens, Pratylenchoides ritteri and Xiphinema index were found at density levels varying from 2 to 35 specimens/mc of water. Two nematode microbial antagonists, Pasteuria penetrans and Haptoglossa sp., were recorded from Aphelenchoides dactylocercus and Paroigolaimella sp., respectively. The effect of water as a mean of dispersal for plant parasitic nematodes and microbial antagonists is briefly discussed.