Reaction of Musa Hybrids to the Burrowing Nematode, Radopholus similis Das Sukhen Chandra1, Balamohan T.N., Poornima K., Seenivasan N., Van Den Bergh I.2, De Waele D.3 1Department of Fruit Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore – 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India 2International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain-Asia and the Pacific, c/o IRRI Khush Hall, Los Banos, Laguna, 4031, Philippines 3Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, Catholic University Leuven (K.U.Leuven), Kasteelpark, Arenberg 13, 3001, Leuven, Belgium. E mail: sukhenchandra@rediffmail.com, tnb@tnau.ac.in Abstract Twenty four elite banana hybrids, six diploids (AA and AB), five triploids (AAA and AAB), ten tetraploids (AABB) and three pentaploids (AAABB) were screened under field conditions for their reaction to Radopholus similis. Among them, H 531 and H 516 were rated resistant, while H 511, H 534, H 537, H 571, H 572 and H 589 were rated tolerant. The remaining accessions were rated susceptible. Peroxidase, Polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme activities and total phenol contents in roots were higher in H 531 and H 516 than in the other hybrids. H 531 recorded relatively higher yield of 13.5 kg/plant. Top Keywords Banana, hybrids, Radopholus simils, resistance reaction. Top |