Pratylenchus - Hosts and Symptoms

Hosts and Symptoms

Root Lesion Nematodes infect a larger variety of hosts than any other type of nematode. Pratylenchus penetrans in itself has over 350 hosts. They can range from potatoes and corn, to bananas and wheat. While the range of hosts might be huge, there are specific hosts that Root Lesion Nematodes cause the most significant damage to. Pratylenchus is found to be associated with corn more than any other host. The symptoms are fairly similar throughout each of the different hosts. As the nematode enters the host’s root, it creates a hole…or lesion… in the root. This initial puncture of the root turns into brown or black necrotic lesions. As the root begins to die, you begin to see secondary symptoms above ground. These symptoms may include stunting, chlorosis in the leaves, wilt like symptoms, and may eventually lead to death. These symptoms can usually be seen in small patches throughout the field as nematodes tend to have a patchy distribution throughout the field. In serious cases, root lesion nematodes can cause significant yield loss.