A SURVEY OF PHYTOPARASITIC NEMATODES ON SOME PLANT CROPS IN NORTHERN EGYPT

Resumen

A nematode survey was conducted in Alexandria and El-Behera Governorates in northern Egypt during the 2019-2022 cropping seasons to study the occurrence, population density, host association and distribution of phytoparasitic nematodes associated with seven crops. A total of 604 soil and root samples containing mixed population of 21 genera and 25 species of phytoparasitic nematodes were analyzed. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica) with 36-62% frequency of occurrence, respectively, were the most frequently encountered nematodes. The citrus nematode (Tylenchulus semipenetrans) had 94% frequency of occurrence on citrus trees, while the golden potato cyst nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) had a high (54%) frequency of occurrence on potato in El-Behera governorate. The genera Criconema spp., Hemicriconemoides spp., Longidorus spp., Merlinius spp., Mesocriconema spp., Paratylenchus spp., Psilenchus spp., and Rotylenchus spp. were less common, with a  low (8-12%) frequency of occurrence.