Effect of host on morphometrics of Pratylenchus zeae Graham, 1951

Variability and reliability of twenty morphological characters commonly used in taxonomy of Pratylenchus spp. were evaluated with reference to P. zeae, raised from all single female on six different hosts viz sugarcane, maize, tobacco, wheat, cotton and groundnut. Host induced significant differences in mean length of body, oesophagus, tail, post-uterine sac, width of body, lip height and distance from anterior end to hemizonid, excretory pore and nerve ring which could not be considered reliable. However stylet length, total nUJl).berof tail annules and number of annules between anus and phasmid, distance of oesophageal gland from base of spear knob, C, C′ and V value did not vary significantly because of the host and were considered to be reliable for distinguishing species of this group.