Host plant response of Eumusa and Australimusa bananas (Musa spp.) to migratory endoparasitic and root-knot nematodes

Twenty-five banana varieties of section Eumusa (AA-group) and seven of the section Australimusa (Fe'i-group) from Papua New Guinea were evaluated for resistance to Radopholus similis, Pratylenchus cuffeae and Meloidogyne spp. The host plant responses were compared with the susceptible reference cvs Grande Naine and Cavendish 901. In vitro propagated plants were transferred to the glasshouse in loamy sand and inoculated with approximately 1000 migratory endoparasitic nematodes at 4 weeks after planting. Reproduction of R. similis and P. coffeae in the roots was determined at 8 or 10 weeks, respectively, after inoculation. Reproduction of Meloidogyne spp. was determined 8 weeks after inoculation with 3300 to 5000 eggs. No resistance to R, similis was found in the diploid varieties. The Fe'i variety Rimina and possibly Menei were resistant to R. similis. All varieties tested were susceptible to P. coffeae and Meloidogyne spp.