Nematology is the scientific discipline conventionally concerned with the study of phyto-

nematodes which parasitize plants and are of economic importance to agriculture, horticulture
and forestry.
Nematodes may be defined as bilaterally symmetrical, triploblastic, pseudocoelomic
unsegmented invertebrates with four hypodermal chords, a tri-radiate oesophagus, circum
oesophageal nerve ring and a definite tail but lack circulatory muscles and specialized organs
for locomotion and respiration.
Nematodes belong to phylum Nematoda.
The cuticle of a typical plant-parasitic nematode is transparent, thus allowing the viewing of
internal systems when viewed under the microscope, .

General Characters of plant parasitic nematodes

1. Plant parasitic nematodes in general are elongated, cylindrical, bilaterally

symmetrical, unciliated worms with body tapering towards both the ends and having
maximum diameter in mid body region. Variety of other shapes is also present,
especially in sedentary semi-endoparasitic and endo-parasitic females which turn
obese and acquire shapes other than normal cylindrical forms. Males, however,
remain vermiform in all the genera of plant parasitic nematodes.
2. The body is covered by a transparent, tough, resistant cuticle that is secreted by a
layer of hypodermal (epidermal) cells lying just beneath it.
3. Plant parasitic nematodes have a protrusible hypo-pharyngeal needle like knobbed stylet
(spear) at the anterior end of the body, which is used to suck the cell cytoplasm from the
host plants. Fungal feeding nematodes also possess stylet which may or may not be
knobbed.
4. Nematodes possess a false body cavity or pseudocoelom i.e. a cavity lacking mesodermal
lining internally or a cavity present between mesoderm and endoderm. Pseudocoelom is
fluid filled and most part of it is occupied with intestine and components of reproductive
system
5. Oral aperture (mouth) is terminal and is surrounded by lips which contain sensory
cephalic papillae. All other body openings like excretory pore, vulva and anus (in
females) and cloacal aperture (in males)are ventrally located
6. Musculature consists of smooth longitudinal muscle cells located between the
hypodermal chords and are directly connected to longitudinal nerves. Circulatory muscles
are absent.
7. Digestive, reproductive, nervous and excretory systems are present. Well defined
respiratory and circulatory organs are absent.
8. The digestive system consists of a feeding apparatus, pharynx (oesophagus), intestine and
rectum. Pharynx in all tylenchids is tripartite but in plant parasitic dorylaimids it is
bipartite. At the junction of pharynx and intestine, a pharyngeo-intestinal valve (cardia) is
present that ensures unidirectional flow of food.
9. They are usually dioecious with tubular reproductive organs. One or two gonads may be
present
10. The nervous system consists of a circum-oesophageal nerve ring and longitudinal nerves
which innervate all body parts. In addition, transverse nerves are also present connecting
the longitudinal nerves.
11. The secretory-excretory system is primitive and consists of primitive single ventral gland
cell (renette) in adenophoreans but consists of two lateral excretory canals joined to each
other by transverse canals in secernenteans. It lacks proto-nephridial cilia or meta-
nephridial flame cells.
12. They do not have any specialized structures for locomotion.

1
2