RESISTANCE OF A POPULATION OF MELOIDOGYNE SPP TO PARASITISM BY THE OBLIGATE PARASITE PASTEURIA-PENETRANS

Resistance to spore attachment and infection by Pasteuria penetrans de veloped in a mixed population of Meloidogyne javanica and M. incognita from Crete which was exposed to a single P. penetrans isolate over fo ur generations. juveniles exposed to attachment by spores of other sin gle origin isolates showed a variable resistance. Resistance to attach ment and infection was prevented by blending P. penetrans isolates fro m different origins. The spores of the P. penetrans (Pp3) isolate that developed in the selected nematodes showed higher levels to the selec ted nematode population than those produced on the original (unselecte d) nematode population.