Incidence and distribution of banana nematodes and weevils in Kenya

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Discovery and Innovation

Publication Date

12-1-1998

Abstract

Banana is one of the main staple food crops in east Africa and nematodes and weevils are a major limitation in the banana production. So far very little information is available on the incidence and distribution of these important pests in this region. In the present studies, attempts have been made to survey and assess the prevalence of these pests in Kenya by sampling in two banana fields in each district. The results show that Pratylenchus goodeyi, Radopholus similis, Helicotylenchus multicinctus and Helicotylenchus mucronatus are the common nematode species attacking banana. As high as 227,778 P. goodeyi and 90,000 R. similis were extracted/gm dry root of cooking type of bananas in Nairobi and Nyeri districts respectively. Numbers of R. similis were directly (b = 14.08, P = 0.01 related to the age of banana plants. Most of the banana fields were heavily infested with the banana weevil, Cosmopolites sordidus. No significant relationship was observed in between the percent coefficient of infestation (PCl), a measure of damage to banana plants due to weevils and plant age or altitude.

Keywords

Banana, Cosmopolites sordidus, Distribution, Incidence, Nematode, Pratylenchus goodeyi, Weevil

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS