Effect of the burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis on Sugarcane

Pathogenicity of Radopholus similis studied on sugarcane var. Co-449 revealed that the damage was maximum at the highest initial inoculum level of 10,000 nematodes per plant and the reduction was highly significant with respect io cane weight (16.07%), leaf weight (54.98%), root weight (65.13%) and root volume (80.02%). A minimum of 100 nematodes/plant in 12,000 cm³ soil was found to be the damage threshold level of R. similis on sugarcane. Reduction in the mass of feeder roots was the most significant effect on the plant.