EFFECTS OF BANANA-PARASITIC NEMATODES ON MUSA-ACUMINATA (AAA GROUP) CVS POYO AND GROS-MICHEL VITRO PLANTS

Three nematode parasites of bananas, Radopholus similis, Helicotylench us multicinctus, and Hoplolaimus pararobustus, were inoculated on vitr o plants of Musa acuminata (AAA triploid) cvs. 'Poyo' and 'Gros Michel ' grown in the greenhouse under tropical climatic conditions. The stud y showed that the effects of nematodes on banana growth parameters, an d on chlorophyll and nutrient content of the leaves differed according to nematode species and banana cultivar. It was confirmed that Gros M ichel is more tolerant than Poyo to R. similis, but it appeared that t he two cultivars were approximatively as susceptible to H. multicinctu s and H. pararobustus. Agronomic responses of bananas are therefore sp ecific to phytoparasitic nematodes.