Preliminary screening for Meloidogyne incognita resistance in selected Psidium species

The resistance and susceptibility of 19 guava accessions was measured by gall index (GI) as an indicator for plant damage, and host efficiency (R factor) as an indicator for nematode reproduction. The protocol used in this study was developed by USAID-funded Crop Nematode Research and Control Project (CNRCP) with slight modification. A range of Psidium species, namely P. littoralle var. longipes, P. arayan, naturally grown P guajava and P. guajava var. Kampuchea (GU 8) were screened against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). Results showed that P. guajava var. Kampuchea was the most susceptible, while other accessions showed a range of susceptibility.Based on this screening, P. littoralle var. longipes, P arayan and P guajava acc. B-12 had shown potential to be used as rootstock.