Investigation and Occurrence of Plant - Parasitic Nematodes on Yam Varieties in Wushishi Local Government Area, Niger State, Nigeria

ABSTRACT: Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are biotrophic and obligate feeders that cause devastating Phyto economic damage to yam cultivation across the globe. The infestation of PPNs may lead to a spectrum of disorders like stunting, necrosis and wilting followed by lessening production. The present investigation embraces an extensive survey work (from June to December 2022) of yam crop production sites at wushishi in Niger State and throws light on the presence. A total number of 30 soil samples were collected from five yam growing area in the study location. Sieving and decanting extraction method was used to ensure that all kinds of nematode groups were identified. Eleven Plant Parasitic Nematodes were identified using morphological and morphometric characteristics. Meloidogyne, Scutellonema, Tylenchus, Rotylenchus, Pratylenchus, Xiphinema, Trichodorus, Helicotylenchus, Heterodera, Aphelenchus, and Hemicyclophora were the nematodes associated with yam in the area surveyed.  Pratylenchus, Scutellonema brady, tylenchus and Meloidogyne incognita were isolated in all the yam field. The soil population mean for Pratylenchus is 156 while the lowest number for prominence value was recorded for Hemicyclophora 2.3.