Mary Goretti Kariaga

Parasitic Nematodes Associated with Sugarcane in Western Kenya Mary Goretti Kariaga

This book describes the Genera of nematodes associated with the sugarcane crop, their population densities around the root rhizosphere and the general impact of these organisms to the growth of sugarcane is discussed and may be contributory to general sugarcane losses in Kenya. They affect tillering and general growth. Sampling of soils and roots of sugarcane was carried out in the Nyanza Sugar Belt. Extraction of nematodes from the samples indicated that Pratylenchus spp. was the most important endoparasite in the region. Trichodorus spp., Helycotylenchus spp. and Rotylenchus spp. were the most important in the Chemelil zone. Other Genera found were Criconemoides spp., Longidorus spp., Xiphinema spp., Tylenchus spp., Paratylenchus spp., Hoplolaimus spp., Tylenchorhynchus spp., Ditylenchus spp., Hemicycliophora spp., Meloidogyne spp., and Aphelenchoides spp., Population density of plant parasitic nematodes varied from one soil type to another. Cambisols had a higher number of nematodes than vertisols. The numbers were more numerous in the second ratoon as compared to plant crop and first ratoon.