ABSTRACT
Lettuce root-knot negatively influences the plant development, reducing the crop yield. The objective of this study was to identify Meloidogyne species that occur in lettuce cultivation areas in the “Agreste” region of Alagoas State, Brazil. Sample collection was performed from the rhizosphere soil and roots, totaling 23 samples from seven municipalities. Roots exhibiting symptoms of root-knot were harvested and incorporated with the rhizosphere soil in tomato plants “Santa Cruz” cv. ‘Kada Gigante’ previously grown in pots containing sterile soil and kept under greenhouse conditions. Meloidogyne species were identified based on esterase isozyme analysis. Meloidogyne incognita phenotypes I1 and I2 and M. javanica phenotype J3 were detected in 20 and three areas, respectively.
Keywords
Lactuca sativa
; population survey; root-knot nematodes; esterase