Damage functions of meloidogyne javanica on zucchini squash and relative leaf chlorophyll content

Abstract

Yield losses in cucurbits have been reported in many horticultural regions. Zucchini-squash is an important crop in southern Spain accounting for one third of the production in the country. For sustainable management of root-knot nematodes in susceptible crops, it is essential to develop accurate information on population densities that cause yield losses and quantify them into plant damage function