Pathogenicity of two Pratylenchus coffeae populations from Brazil on coffee plants

There is limited information on the influence of Pratylenchus coffeae on the growth and development of coffee plants, in spite of the widespread occurrence of this nematode in coffee plantations. In addition, populations of P. coffeae vary in morphological and molecular features, as well as reproductive fitness and pathological potential. The objective of the present study was to compare the pathogenicity of two Brazilian P. coffeae populations, K-5 from Coffea arabica roots and M-2 from Aglaonema sp. roots, in terms of their influence on the plant growth and photosynthesis of Arabian coffee (C. arabica). Five experiments were conducted in controlled conditions, and the results demonstrated that K-5 is pathogenic on coffee, as it can reproduce and causes obvious damage on the plant. Moreover K-5 proved to be very virulent on Arabian coffee, considering its effects on seedling mortality, plant growth and photosynthesis. By contrast, M-2 was considered to be of low virulence, or even non-pathogenic, on coffee because it failed to reproduce. Thus, the results indicate that K-5 and M-2 may be distinct species, supporting the hypothesis of previous authors.9685385

Carbon fixation and partitioning in coffee seedlings infested with Pratylenchus cffeae

The objective was to study CO2 fixation and photoassimilate partition in coffee ( Coffea arabica) seedlings infested with the lesion nematode Pratylenchus coffeae. Seedlings infested with 0, 1000 and 8000 Pratylenchus coffeae nematodes were exposed to (CO2)-C-14 and the incorporation and distribution of radioactivity were followed in the roots, stems and leaves. Fresh mass, pigments, soluble sugars, sucrose and specific radioactivity of sucrose in the plant parts were determined. At the highest level of infestation almost all the parameters were significantly changed showing the carbon fixation in the leaves and partitioning to the roots were decreased. Since lesion nematodes are not sedentary and do not form feeding sites that could be characterised as metabolic sinks, it is suggested that their damage is more readily expressed by the leaves, through a reduction in photosynthesis and phloem transport.110886186

Effects of Pratylenchus brachyurus and P-coffeae on seedlings of Coffea arabica

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of Pratylenchus brachyurus and P. coffeae on Coffea arabica. The first experiment was conducted in a greenhouse to determine the effects of P. brachyurus and P. coffeae on seedlings of Coffea arabica cv. Mundo Novo. Both Pratylenchus spp. reduced the growth of coffee seedlings. Higher contents of soluble sugars were detected in the leaves of infected plants. The reproduction rate of P. brachyurus was very low on cv, Mundo Novo, indicating an intolerance to this nematode. In a second experiment, C. arabica cultivars Mundo Novo and Catuai both were intolerant hosts of P. brachyurus.30336236