TABLE CONTENTS

Root-Knot Nematodes of Economic Importance in Egypt
Haroon, S.
Nematology and Biotechnology Center, Fayoum University, Egypt.
Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) have been recognized as major pests in Egypt,
causing yield losses to many crops of economic relevance. Meloidogyne incognita, M.
javanica and M. arenaria are the most frequent species and occur in most governorates.
Meloidogyne hapla has been reported only in certain areas in the Delta region and Nubaria
north of Egypt in sugarbeat and peanut. Survey data involving 5,000 samples from agronomic
crops, vegetables and fruit trees from various cultivated areas in Egypt indicated that these
root-knot nematodes are associated with galls, stunting and poor growth in 65% of the
sampled crops. Affected crops by these pests included cucumber, pea, pepper, squash and
tomato among the vegetables, and cotton, corn, peanut, sunflower and strawberry among the
other crops. Fruit-trees damaged by these root-knot nematodes are banana, peach and
grapevine. Meloidogyne incognita is rarely found in date palm. Meloidogyne artiellia, which
is a major damaging nematode to leguminous crops in North Africa, has not been detected in
Egypt. Most new cultivated land in the desert North of Egypt, which is cultivated mainly with
banana plantation, fruit trees especially peach, sweet pepper, ornamentals, strawberry, and
grapevines are infested with different species of root-knot nematodes causing reduction in
crop growth and productivity at different levels according to the nematode species and the
infested crops. The new valley in upper Egypt is heavily infested with M. incognita,
especially in cucurbitaceae producing areas. Studies aiming at a more accurate determination
of the identity of root-knot nematodes in Egypt are in progress using morphological and
molecular methods.
5 th International Congress of Nematology, 2008 155