ACKNOWLEDGMENTS perfect state, Ceratocystis wageneriispp. nov.

, in
We thank Sharon von Broembsen, Anthea Clarke,
D. G. M. Donald, and H. Geertsema for assistance
during the investigation. Insect identifications were
made by the National Collection of Insects, Pretoria.
LITERATURE CITED
1. BEGA, R. V., D. DOTTA, D. R. MILLER, and
R. S. SMITH, Jr. 1966. Root disease survey at
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Pathogenicity of Verticicladiella wagenerii to
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3. DAVIDSON, R. W., and R. C. ROBINSON-
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europhoides and C. huniii with Verticicladiella
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4. GOHEEN, D. J. 1976. Verticicladiellawageneri
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interrelationships with insects. Ph.D. thesis,
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9. HERTERT, H. D., D. L. MILLER, and A. D.
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Incidence of root disease in bark beetle-infested
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Root-rot indicators in grand fir. Plant Dis. Rep.
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Bark beetles and root-rots related in Idaho
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Bot. 42:527-532.
15. SHAW, C. G., III, and M. DICK. 1980.
Verticicladiella root disease of Pinus strobus in
New Zealand. Plant Dis. 64:96-98.
16. SMITH, R. S., Jr. 1967. Verticicladiella root
disease of pines. Phytopathology 57:935-938.
17. TOWERS, B. 1976. The occurrence of
Verticicladiella procera in Pennsylvania. Plant
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A staining fungus root disease of ponderosa,
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19. WINGFIELD, M. J., and W. F. 0. MARASAS.
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Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. In press.

Influence of Cultivar, Age, Soil Texture, and pH on Meloidogyne incognita

and Radopholus simiis on Banana
R. G. DAVIDE, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, University
of Philippines at Los Baios
College, Laguna

lactophenol in vials. Later the roots were

ABSTRACT dissected under a stereomicroscope and
DAVIDE, R. G. 1980. Influence of cultivar, age, soil texture, and pH on Meloidogyne
incognita the nematodes were identified and
and Radopholus similis on banana. Plant Disease 64:571-573.
counted.
Radopholus similis and Meloidogyne incognitawere detected in seven banana cultivars,
but their
The soil and root samples were
population densities differed considerably. Roots of cultivars Giant Cavendish, collected from the same sites. At each site
Cardaba, and
Bungulan contained higher populations of R. similis than of M. incognita;the reverse about 600 cc of soil was obtained
was true in
Dwarf Cavendish, Lacatan, and Latundan. Population densities of both nematode approximately 40 cm from the base of the
species were
low in Saba cultivar. The population of R. similis progressively increased and that of
M. incognita plant at a depth of 15-30 cm. Each soil
declined with age of Giant Cavendish plantations. This relationship was also observed
in plants that sample was placed in an individual plastic
had "tip-over" disease and severe root necrosis because of infestation by R. similis. Necrotic
roots bag and taken to the nematology
apparently were not suitable for M. incognita. Nematodes were present in all soil textures,
but both laboratory. A 200 cc subsample was sent
species reproduced better in sandy loam than in soil of finer texture. Population development
was to the Department of Soil Science for soil
most successful at soil pH 5.0-5.6.
identification and pH determination. The
results of assays for nematodes other than
R. similis and M. incognitawere published
Banana (Musa paradisiaca L.) is a considerably in different localities.
leading export crop of the Philippines, elsewhere (3).
This study was done to determine the
grown on more than 300,000 ha. The influence of cultivar, age of plantation, RESULTS
largest banana-producing regions are in soil texture, and pH on the field
the southern and northern Mindanao (6). Cultivar. The field distribution and
distribution and population densities of population densities of M. incognita and
In a nationwide survey in 1974 and 1975,
R. similis and M. incognita. R. similis varied among cultivars (Fig. 1).
we found a number of plant-parasitic
nematodes associated with different The population density of M. incognita
MATERIALS AND METHODS was greatest in roots of Dwarf Cavendish,
cultivars. The most common species were
Samples of banana roots and of soil Lacatan, and Latudan; the density of R.
Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood and were collected from farms mainly in the
Radopholus similis (Cobb) Thorne, similis was greatest in roots of Giant
provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao Cavendish, Bungulan, and Cardaba.
which cause serious damage on banana del Sur in Mindanao where more than
(1,4). The distribution and population Both species were least numerous in
25,000 ha of Giant Cavendish banana are Saba.
densities of these species varied commercially grown. Approximately Age of plantation. The Giant
400-cc soil and 4-g (wet weight) root Cavendish plantations in Davao del
This study was supported by a research grant from samples per plant hill were randomly Norte were from 2 mo to 4 yr old. In
the National Science Development Board of the collected. All root samples were cut into plantations less than 1 yr old, the
Philippines. pieces (1-2 cm long), fixed in FAA for at population densities of M. incognita and
least 48 hr, and stained for 3-4 min in R. similis were relatively low and more or
0191-2917/80/06057103/$03.00/0 boiling acid-fuchsin lactophenol. less similar (Fig. 2). During the second
@1980 American Phytopathological Society
Stained roots were kept in clear year, populations increased significantly

Plant Disease/June 1980 571

by 13 times or more; R. similis showed reverse was true in the plants without tip- DISCUSSION
over because roots had less necrosis and Field distribution and population
highest increases. densities of R. similis and M. incognita
The population density of the two therefore greater feeding sites for M.
incognita. vary significantly with cultivars, age of
species shifted considerably in the 3-yr- plantation, soil texture, and pH.
old plantations. R. similis further Soil texture and pH. The field
distribution and population density of Differences associated with banana
increased its population density, and M. cultivars may be expected since they are
incognita declined to a point below that the two nematode species differed with
the various texture of soil (Fig. 4) and pH. genetically different; Lacatan is diploid,
attained in the second year. Based on this whereas Dwarf and Giant Cavendish,
trend, R. similis would be expected to Both species reproduced best in sandy
loam soils. M. incognita population Cardaba, and Saba are triploid.
become the primary problem and M. Theoretically, the nematode popu-
incognita the secondary problem in older development was lowest in clay loam soil
and that of R. similis was lowest in clay lation would be expected to continue to
plantations. Plants with severe root increase as a banana plantation becomes
soil.
necrosis and tip-over contained more R. older; this was true with R. similisbut not
similis than M. incognita (Fig. 3). The The effect of soil pH on M. incognita
and R. similis is presented in Fig. 5. Both with M. incognita. This may be because
nematode species were detected at severe infestation by R. similis causes
various levels in acidic and alkaline soils, necrosis of roots and M. incognitafails to
but the numbers of both species were infest and survive on these dead tissues.
largest at pH 5.0-5.6. Population Thus numbers of M. incognita would
densities were generally reduced in decline in the presence of R. similis.
extremely acidic or alkaline soil, but R. The effect of soil texture may be related
similis was more tolerant than M. to factors including particle size oxygen
incognita to extreme acidic soil. availability and others. Upadhyay et al
o 600 (8) found that Ditylenchus dipsaci
reproduced only in clay soils, whereas M.
1500
hapla preferred sandy and peat soils. Van
iI
Gundy et al (10) observed that
0 600. Tylenchulus semipenetrans reproduced
~400 M. incognita well in soil containing 10-15% clay.
0 350 6 Townshend (7) reported that more
- R.similis
30
E
400 Pratylenchus penetrans and P. minyus
penetrated corn roots grown in a sandy
2O loam than roots grown in clay or fine
c textured soils. O'Bannon et al (5)
demonstrated that R. similis reproduced
well on citrus in coarse soil and that P.
With tip-over
No tip-over
Plant conditions
coffeae was favored by fine soils. The
Giant LatundanSaba Bungulan
DwarfCerdebaLacatan present study confirms the preference of
Cavendish Cavendish
Cultvar Fig. 3. Meloidogyne incognita and Radopholus R. similis and M. incognita for coarse
similis in 40 samples of Giant Cavendish soils, especially sandy loam.
Fig. 1. Distribution and population density of banana plants with and 40 without tip-over. The effects of soil pH on nematode
Meloidogyne incognita and Radopholus reproduction have been reported. Van
similis on 10-40 samples of each banana Gundy and Martin (9) observed that T.
cultivar. semipenetrans on citrus increased four-
fold in a neutral (pH 7.0) loam soil,
compared with acid (pH 5.0) loam or
LSD
acidic sandy loam. T. semipenetrans
reproduces well in sandy clay loam at pH
400 _1

35 l
M. incognita

R.similis 'in 6.0-6.6 (2). However, it is not clearly

understood how soil pH and soil texture
011 01

-300

400
0
250.

E200- ~LSD
350 LSD
250,
I
300
150-
E 250

.01 100,
1200

150.
o150

5100

5O

<1 1-2 3-4

Silty Clay Loam Sandy Silt Silty Clay
Age(yr) loam loem loam clay
clay
loam 3.6-4.2 4.3-4.9 5.0-5.6 5.7--6.3 6.4-7.0 7.1-7.7
$alt pH
Soil texture

Fig. 2. Distribution and population density of Fig. 5. Distribution and population density of
Fig. 4. Distribution and population density of
Meloidogyne incognita and Radopholus Meloidogyne incognita and Radopholus
Meloidogyne incognita (top) and Radopholus
similis on less than 1, 1-2, and 3-4 yr old Giant similis in soils of different pH levels (15-20
similis (bottom) in different soil textures
Cavendish banana plantations (20-30 samples samples for each level).
(15-20 samples of each soil class).
for each age level).

572 Plant Disease/Vol. 64 No. 6