A survey was carried out in order to study the occurrence of plant parasitic nematodes in fruit crops in the Northwest of Paraná, from December 2007 to February 2009. A hundred and twenty four soil and roots samples were collected from 19 species of fruit crops in 15 different municipalities. Nematodes were extracted from the samples and identified under an optical microscope. Nine genera of plant parasitic nematodes were found. In citrus, the most abundant species was Tylenchulus semipenetrans, but it was also recovered Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Helicotylenchus, Xiphinema, Trichodorus, Mesocriconema and Dolichodorus. In the other fruit crops, Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Helicotylenchus and Hemicycliophora were recovered. Pratylenchus brachyurus was most abundant in pineapple crops, Meloidogyne incognita in fig and persimmon, and Helicotylenchus dihystera and H. multicinctus in banana. The main plant parasitic nematode genera were found in approximately 50% of the samples collected, which may represent a possible threat to regional fruit production if not managed adequately.
Meloidogyne; Pratylenchus; Helicotylenchus; Tylenchulus semipenetrans; Ananas comosus; Citrus spp; Musa spp.; Psidium guajava
