Response of diploid banana hybrids and their parents to Helicotylenchus multicinctus

Abstract

The reactions of nine new synthetic diploid banana hybrids and their parental clones to Helicotylenchus multicinctus were studied in field trials. H-201, H-02-08, Anaikomban, Ambalakadali, Pisang Lilin and Eraichivazhai were resistant, whilst the hybrids H-204, H-211, H-02-11, H-02-12, H-59, H-65 and H-110 were moderately resistant. Among the resistant hybrids, H-02-08 produced significantly higher bunch weights than their parents. H-203, H-205, H-208 and H-66 were susceptible and H-02-01 and H-89 were highly susceptible to the nematode. The resistant clone H-02-08 had an enhanced reducing sugar content and H-201 and Pisang Lilin had enhanced contents of orthodihydric phenol and activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase.