Seasonal population fluctuation behaviour of plant parasitic nematodes in carribean stylo

Seasonal population fluctuation behaviour of the three plant-parasitic nematodes, Bosiriolaimus seinhorstii, Pratylenchus thornei and Tylenchorhynchus vulgoris was studied in Jhansi. Average population density peaks of these nematodes during March and September were 0.6, 1.8, 2.4 and 1.0, 2.8, 3.1 nematodes per ml. soil respectively. During Februay and May falls were 0.2, 0.7, 1.0 and 0.1, 0.2, 0.2 nematodes per ml soil respectively. Nematode population fluctuations were affected by mean temperature, mean relative humidity, rainfall and plant growth. B. seinhorstii was least affected by environmental stresses. Due to highly adapted parasitic mode of life P. thornei competes well with other nematodes in July. Population of T. vulgoris was inversely affected by rainfall.