Influence of Pratylenchus coffeae and Meloidogyne spp. on plant growth and yield of banana (Musa spp.) in Vietnam

The objective of the presented study was to look at the effect of Pratylenchus coffeae and Meloidogyne spp., the two major nematode species associated with banana (Musa spp.) in North Vietnam, on the plant growth and yield of cv. Grand Naine (AAA) and four local banana cultivars, Ngu Tien (AA), Hot (BB), Ben Tre (AAA) and Tay Tia (ABB). Inoculated plants were compared with nematode-free control plants in terms of plant growth, crop cycle duration and yield under field conditions in Hanoi, North Vietnam. Infection with P. coffeae did not affect the crop cycle duration or the plant height, the pseudostem girth or the number of standing leaves at harvest of any of the cultivars, but did significantly reduce the bunch weight of cv. Ngu Tien from 6.6 to 5.3 kg (20% reduction), the bunch weight of cv. Tay Tia from 7.3 to 5.9 kg (19% reduction) and the bunch weight of cv. Grand Naine from 6.9 to 6.0 kg (13% reduction). The bunch weight of cvs Hot and Ben Tre was not significantly affected. The number of hands of the inoculated and the control plants did not differ for any of the cultivars but infection with P. coffeae resulted in a 34% reduction in the number of fingers of cv. Grand Naine (from 67 to 44 fingers). The number of fingers of the other cultivars were not affected by inoculation with P. coffeae. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. did not affect the time from planting to harvest for any of the cultivars, but the time from planting to shooting was increased from 367 to 387 days for cv. Ngu Tien. The plant height and the pseudostem girth at harvest of cv. Grand Naine were significantly reduced by 27% and 18%, respectively. The number of standing leaves as well as the plant height and the pseudostem girth at harvest of the other cultivars were unaffected. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. significantly reduced the bunch weight of cv. Ngu Tien from 6.6 to 5.1 kg (23% reduction) and the bunch weight of cv. Grand Naine from 6.9 to 5.6 kg (19% reduction). The bunch weight of cv. Hot was unaffected. Infection with Meloidogyne spp. reduced the number of hands of cv. Ngu Tien by 14% (from 6.2 to 5.4 hands) the number of fingers of cv. Grand Naine by 25% (from 67 to 50 fingers). The number of hands and fingers of the other cultivars were not affected. The results indicate that in areas where the burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis, is not present, other nematodes, especially Meloidogyne spp., may become more important in terms of damage and yield loss.