Reaction of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivars to the root-knot nematode

Abstract

Plant-parasitic nematodes are soil pathogens capable of causing significant damage in cultivated areas and are considered of economic importance for sugarcane production. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the reaction of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) cultivars to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) parasitism. The cultivar reaction assay was conducted with four new cultivars registered by the UFSM breeding program, namely UFSM XIKA FW, UFSM LUCI FW, UFSM PRETA FW, and UFSM DINA FW, under two nematode treatments (with and without nematodes) in 2023 and repeated in 2024. The cultivars were inoculated with 5000 eggs + J2 of Meloidogyne javanica, and vegetative development variables, final nematode population in the root system, and reproduction factor (RF) were evaluated. All cultivars were resistant to nematode parasitism, showing a reproduction factor lower than 1.0.