Pathogenicity of Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford and Oliveira, 1940 in Solanum melongena L.

Brinjal, Solanum melongena seedlings were inoculated with 10, 100, 1000 and 10,000 young females of Rotylenchulus reniformis/plant/500 cc of soil to study the pathogenic effect of the nematode in net house. There was a significant decrease in plant height and fresh weight of shoot and root at 1000 and above nematodes. A negative correlation existed between initial inoculum density and plant growth parameters. The nematodes reproduced very well but the rate of reproduction was inversely related to the inoculum levels and was maximum (Rf= 39.51) at lowest level and minimum (1.17) at highest level. Similarly, the number of eggs/eggmass also decreased with increase in inoculum levels. An initial population density of 1000 nematodes/500 cc of soil, may be considered as the minimum density level of R. reniformis for expression of pathogenic effects on brinjal.