Morphometric Variations in Hoplolaimus indicus Sher, 1963 in Relation to Different Host Plants and Different Localities in Malwa region of Punjab

Studies were carried out for the identification and morphometric variations in Hoplolaimus indicus Sher, 1963. In total 1480, soils and root samples from different localities were collected and processed for the isolation of nematode species. The present study indicated that most frequently occurring nematode species was Hoplolaimus indicus beside other nematode genera such as Helicotylenchus spp., Rotylenchus sp., Hirschmanniella spp., Pratylenchus spp., Mesocriconema spp., Hemicriconemoides sp., Tylenchorhynchus spp., Telotylenchoides sp., Quinisulcius sp., Meloidogyne sp., Filenchus sp., Psilenchus sp., Aphelenchus sp., Aphelenchoides sp., Xiphinema spp. and Longidorus spp. The coefficient of variance (CV%) of males and females of H. indicus from 5 different populations in different localities and 4 different populations in different hosts indicated that body length/tail length (c), spear length and distance of vulva in relation to body length from the anterior end (V%) in female were stable characters, however, body length, body length/body width (a), the ratio between body length and oesophageal length (b) and the ratio between body length and distance from anterior end to the posterior end of the oesophageal gland (b’) were variable characters. The difference in the CV% due to the type of host and locality was recorded in body length (L) in both male and female and in body length/body width (a), the ratio between body length and oesophageal length (b) only in males.