SKUAST Journal of Research

The Apple growing industry has witnessed a major shift from low density to medium and high density plantations in the recent past. The soil micro-fauna associated with the roots of apple varieties suitable for high density plantations remains unknown in Kashmir valley. Among the many organisms found in association with apple plant roots, plant-parasitic nematodes are responsible for causing several severe diseases including, yield reduction, apple decline and apple replant disease. Considering the importance of knowledge about abundance and distribution of plant parasitic nematodes, this experiment was carried out in the major fruit growing belts of Kashmir valley (Baramulla, Anantnag and Srinagar) during the year 2018. In all the composite samples from three different districts, nine nematode genera were isolated from the rhizosphere of high density apple orchards in the three districts of Kashmir valley viz., Helicotylenchus sp., Pratylenchus sp., Tylenchorhynchus sp., Tylenchus sp., Xiphinema insine, X. index, X. americanum, Longidorus elongatus and Hoplolaimus sp. The absolute density, relative density, absolute frequency and relative frequency of each different taxonomical group was calculated and compared. Community analysis of predominant plant parasitic nematodes in high density apple plantation of Kashmir valley on various parameters revealed that Helicotylenchus sp. followed by Pratylenchus sp., Tylenchus sp. and Tylenchorhynchus sp. showed highest mean absolute density in all the three districts. The mean performance of parameters viz relative frequency, relative density and prominence value also showed similar trend as that of the mean absolute density.