Syllabus
Theory
Introduction: History of phytonematology, habitat and diversity, economic importance of nematodes. General characteristics of plant parasitic nematodes. Nematode: definition, general morphology and biology. Classification of nematodes up to family level with emphasis on groups containing economically important genera. Classification of nematodes on the basis of feeding/ parasitic habit. Symptomatology, role of nematodes in disease development, Interaction between plant parasitic nematodes and disease-causing fungi, bacteria and viruses. Nematode pests of crops: Rice, wheat, vegetables, pulses, oilseed and fiber crops, citrus and banana, tea, coffee and coconut. Different methods of nematode management: Cultural methods, physical; methods, Biological methods, Chemical methods, Plant Quarantine, Plant resistance and INM.
Practical
Sampling methods, collection of soil and plant samples; Extraction of nematodes from soil and plant tissues following Cobb’s sieving and decanting technique, Baermann funnel technique, Picking and counting of plant parasitic nematode. Identification of economically important plant nematodes up to generic level with the help of keys and description: Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus; Heterodera, Tylenchulus, Xiphinema, and Helicotylenchus etc. Study of symptoms caused by important nematode pests of cereals, vegetables, pulses, plantation crops etc. Methods of application of nematicides and organic amendments.