LETTER TO EDITOR

 

Sinapis alba L., new host for Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in Cuba

 

Sinapis alba L., nuevo hospedante de Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid y White) Chitwood en Cuba

 

Dear Sir,

Mustard (Sinapis alba L.) is a new crop grown in Cuba, and there is scarce information on the pest that affect it, which is a crucial element for pest management.

In a field in Florencia Municipality (Camagüey Province), with a high population of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood, mustard plants were grown for 60 days. At the end of this period, all the plants were seriously withered. The roots exhibited high infestation of nematodes, and root knot nematode females could be observed inside the roots. Mustard does not appear in the list of plant parasitic nematodes of Cuba as a host of M. incognita. These observations are a warning for farmers of being careful when growing this crop in infested soils

Sincerely yours,

 

 

Ricardo Cuadra Molina

Instituto de Investigaciones Fundamentales en Agricultura Tropical «Alejandro de Humbolt» (INIFAT), Habana, Cuba. E-mail: [e-mail].