A NEMATODE SURVEY OF VEGETABLE CROPS AND SOME ORCHARDS IN THE GHOR OF JORDAN

Abstract

A survey of plant-parasitic nematodes of vegetable and fruit crops was undertaken in the Ghor area in Jordan. From the 74 samples of soil and roots, 67 plant-parasitic nematode species, belonging to 32 genera, were recovered and identified. Meloidogyne javanica (Treub) Chitw. and M. incognita (Kofoid et White) Chitw. were the most damaging of the nematodes to vegetable crops. Nine species of Helicotylenchus were identified, with H. multicinctus (Cobb) Golden widely distributed in the bananas production area. Six Tylenchorhynchus species were identified, T. goffarti Sturhan being the dominant species in most vegetable crops. Tylenchulus semipenetrans was found in moderate densities in most citrus groves. Ten Pratylenchus species were identified, the most common being P. thornei Sher et Allen, P. scribneri Steiner, P. zeae Graham, in the Ghor area and P. neglectus (Rench) Filipjev et Schuurmans Stekhoven in the uplands. Xipbinema and Longidorus species occurred in low densities on vegetable crops and fruit trees in the Ghor area.