Plant parasitic nematode communities in rubber nurseries and plantations in Tripura

Eighty sites at 8 widely separated rubber nurseries and plantations of different age groups (1 to 30 years) in Tripura State (India) were sampled for qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant parasitic nematode communities during September to November, 1994. A total of 12 nematode species, within 8 genera, were identified from root and rhizosphere soil of rubber plants and except for Pratylenchus brachyurus, are new records of association with rubber plants from India. The most frequently encountered species were: Helicotylenchus spp., Meloidogyne incognita, Pratylenchus spp. and Macroposthonia spp. M. incognita ranked fist in prominence and importance values. A linear increase in the index of diversity (H) with increase in the age of plantations up to certain age group (5 to 15 year) was observed.