Glimpses on Nematode Pests of Groundnut in West Bengal

Forty three soil samples (200cc) were collected during a roving survey from groundnut growing blocks (Haripal, Pursurah, Khanakul-I and Jangipara) of the Hooghly district of West Bengal, India to study the occurrence and distribution of plant nematodes. Six plant nematode genera viz., Criconemoides, Rotylenchulus, Tylenchorhynchus, Meloidogyne, Hirschmanniella, and Pratylenchus were recorded from the crop rhizosphere. Criconemoides sp. was predominant nematode pests of groundnut followed by Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford and Oliviera, 1940 and Tylenchorhynchus mashhoodi Siddiqi and Basir, 1959. Two species of root-knot nematodes viz., Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949 and M. javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood, 1949 were also identified. Criconemoides sp. and T. mashhoodi were recorded maximum from Chiladangi area of Pursurah block of Hooghly district. M. incognita was recorded maximum from Haripal block while R. reniformis was abundant at Samanta Road areas of Pursurah block. Detailed morphometry and morphological descriptions of T. mashhoodi have been presented.