Soil and Roots Nematodes of Banana (Musa sapientum L.) in Otuoke Community, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Banana (Musa sapientum L.) cultivation in rural communities creates job opportunities and generates income. Soil nematodes, a major pest, can lead to yield loss and financial loss. To ensure sustainable production and food security, it's crucial to survey potential threats and identify incumbent nematode species. Identifying these species can help develop effective pest management strategies. A survey was carried out to determine the potential nematode species of threat to banana production in Otuoke community, Bayelsa State. The random sampling technique was employed and soil and roots from two banana mono-cultured vegetations were tested. The modified sieve plate technique was used for nematode extraction and nematode pictorial key was employed for nematode identification to genera level. A total of 438 nematodes representing 8 genera were identified, among which 51.4% occurred in farm 1 and 48.6% were reported from farm 2. Nematodes of significant economic interest reported in this survey were Meloidogyne species (23.1%), Pratylenchus species (18.5%), Ditylenchus species (15.3%), Helicotylenchus species (10.0%), Hemicyclophora species (9.8%), Rotylenchus species (9.1%), Radopholus species (8.4%) and Paratylenchus species (5.7%). The occurrence of nematodes against farm types displayed disparities which was indicative that nematodes survival strategy depends on the prevailing field conditions. The study revealed that nematodes compose a prominent pest group infesting banana in Otuoke and should be checked to ameliorate food security.