Incidence of Plant Parasitic Nematodes under Kenaf Cropping System

Abstract

Plant parasitic nematode populations were monitored in kenaf cropping system under humid rainforest, derived savannah and Northern Guinea savannah agro ecologies of South West Nigeria.  Fifteen genera of plant parasitic nematodes were observed from humid rainforest agroecology and eighteen genera of plant parasitic nematodes were observed from both derived savannah and Northern Guinea savannah agroecologies. Of the number of plant parasitic nematodes present in the three agroecologies, five genera of plant parasitic nematodes of economic importance, Meloidogyne spp, Pratylenchus spp, Rotylenchulus spp, Hoplolaimus spp and Helicotylenchus spp were found present in all the agroecologies.  With the commitment of the Federal Government of Nigeria in diversifying the economy of the country from depending on oil production to agriculture, kenaf is a single fibre crop that has high import for harnessing the potentials necessary as a panacea in revamping the Nigerian agro-based economy and construction sub-sectors of the economy through value chains development.  Hence there is urgent need to control or reduce the population of plant parasitic nematodes in kenaf cropping system.