Host Responses of Some Basmati and Hybrid Rice Cultivars to Meloidogyne graminicola

The relative susceptibility of six Basmati and hybrid rice cultivars was evaluated against the rice root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola at 1600 juveniles (J₂)/kg soil under pot condition. The rice cultivars expressed varied reaction to the nematode. The cv. PB-1509 was found highly susceptible to M. graminicola, developing 108 galls/root system, while the lowest number of galls developed on cv. Taj Hybrid. The greatest reductions in the plant growth (20-26%) and grain yield (26-38%) wase observed in cvs. PB-1509, PB-1121, and PB-1718, whereas Pioneer 27P37 and Taj Hybrid exhibited relatively lower reductions in the plant growth (10-12%) and grain yield (10-15%) compared to the uninoculated control. The cv. PB-1509 supported highest population of M. graminicola (91-392% increase) and the lowest increase was recorded with the cv. Taj Hybrid (47-222%).