Screening of Banana Hybrids for Resistance to Meloidogyne incognita

The reaction of twenty four new synthetic banana hybrids to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita was studied under field as well as artificially inoculated pot conditions. Two banana hybrids, H 531 and H 561 were found to be resistant and six hybrids, H 511, H 534, H 537, H 571, H 572 and H 589 were found to be tolerant to M. incognita and the remaining were rated as susceptible. Peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme activities and total phenol contents in roots were higher in resistant genotypes viz-a-vis susceptible ones. Hybrids H 516 and H531 had the higher biochemical content and enzyme activity among the hybrids taken for this study. The nematode resistant hybrid H 531 recorded relatively higher yield of 13.5 kg/plant.