Plant Care

GENERALIZED LIFE CYCLE OF PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES  T he nematodes are invertebrate roundworms that inhabit marine fresh water and  terrestrial environments. The majority of nematodes are microscopic, averaging less than a millimeter in length, but some of the animal parasites are quite large and readily visible to the naked eye. The animal and plant parasites are of direct importance in agriculture, environment, human health; however, most nematodes in the environment are not parasites. Nematodes that feed on other organisms are important participants in the cycling of minerals and nutrients in the ecosystem that is fundamental to other biological activity. Some of these nematodes may have major roles in decomposition, including biodegradation of toxic compounds. Insect-parasitic nematodes can be of importance in regulating insect populations, and are being used in the biological control of insect pests e.g. Steinernema spp. Disease Cycle: The J1 stage res...