FIELD TRIAL EVALUATION OF NEMATODE SUSCEPTIBILITY WITHIN MUSA

Fifty-two clones of Musa were evaluated for their susceptibility to th e plant-parasitic nematodes Radopholus similis, Hoplolaimus pararobust us and Meloidogyne incognita in two field trials. As a group the AAB P lantains showed the greatest susceptibility to both R. similis and H. pararobustus. Musa AAA and ABB types tended to show lower susceptibili ty to R. similis and some types exhibited near resistance. H. pararobu stus and M. incognita occurred in lower numbers than R. similis and in tervarietal differences in susceptibility were less marked.