WEEDS AS RESERVOIR OF NEMATODES

Abstract

There is a hypothesis that damaging pests wide in host range continue their survival by repeated infection of host plants or alternative hosts. For example root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are the most damaging nematode pests of field and vegetable crops because of their ability to feed on range of plants including field and vegetable crop, ornamentals, fruit trees, and weeds. In this manuscript the role of weeds as host for the plant parasitic nematode survival, development, reproduction, spread within a field, and increasing the potential for succeeding crops to be damaged by the nematode populations maintained on weeds has been discussed. This article has covered some of the important nematodes of crops and their weed hosts reported in Pakistan and other parts of the crop production regions of the world. It is believed that this article will provide important information not only to nematologists but also to the plant protection scientists to understand the role of weeds not only as pest but also as host of nematodes for designing the nematode management strategies.