Research during the past 30 years has revealed the main economically important nematode species in Cuba, and identified serious nematode pests that warrant quarantine exclusion from the country. Nematodes appear to cause few problems in sugarcane, the foremost crop in Cuba. Meloidogyne arenaria, M. javanica and especially M. incognita race 2 are responsible for yield reduction in tobacco as high as 27% when the crop is grown on sandy soil. Various species of root-knot nematode also damage coffee, guava, soybean, and various field and vegetable crops. Loss of citrus yield to T. semipenetrans averages 9-11% in older orchards with high population densities. Pratylenchus coffeae is the dominant pathogen among other commonly encountered members of the genus such as P. brachyurus, and P. pratensis. P. coffeae damages coffeae, banana and plantain in the eastern provinces, and P. zeae is sometimes a problem on rice grown in non-flooded conditions. Radopholus similis is also a serious pest of
