Cyst Nematodes in India

Abstract

Nineteen species of cyst nematodes have been recorded from many areas in India since 1958 when the first species, Heterodera avenae Woll. was reported (Vasudeva, 1958). The golden cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis (Woll.) Behr., was first discovered by Jones (1961) and since then both G. rostochiensis and G. pallida (Stone) Behr. have been found extensively in potato crops in southern India (Seshadri & Sivakumar, 1962; Thangaraju, 1983). The other seventeen species have been found in association with major crops: wheat, barley, ragi, pulses, rice, sugarcane, maize, and others (Table 1). Cyst nematodes have been recorded from 13 states and the union territory of Delhi. In eleven states two or more species have been found, while in seven states three or more species have been recorded. The highest number of seven species from Delhi is probably accounted for by the greater number of surveys made there than other parts of the country. Cyst nematodes are also likely to be present in the rest of the states but few surveys have been carried out to detect them.