What Do Nematodes Do To Fruit Crops?
Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic small worm-like animals that live in soil or plant tissues. They acquire nutrients from plant tissues by perforating the tissue cells with a hollow, needle-like feeding structure called stylet or spear. These pests damage fruit crops and other kinds of plants through several different effects of their feeding on plant root tissues. Different kinds of nematodes can be classified into one of three groups depending on how and where they feed on the plants: • Ectoparasitic nematodes are those that always remain outside the plant root tissues, feeding on surface cells or those within reach of their probing stylets (spears) from outside. A few kinds of ectoparasitic nematodes can transmit important plant viruses to the tissues on which they feed. • Migratory endoparasitic nematodes move through root tissues, feeding on and killing relatively tender cells as they go. They weaken roots by physical damage to tender tissues and their tunnels can dramatic
Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic worm-like animals that live in soil or plant tissues. They acquire nutrients from plant tissues by perforating the tissue cells with a hollow, needle-like feeding structure called stylet or spear. These pests damage fruit crops and other kinds of plants through several different effects of their feeding on plant root tissues. Different kinds of nematodes can be classified into one of three groups depending on how and where they feed on the plants: • Ectoparasitic nematodes are those that always remain outside the plant root tissues, feeding on surface cells or those within reach of their probing stylets (spears) from outside. A few kinds of ectoparasitic nematodes can transmit important plant viruses to the tissues on which they feed. • Migratory endoparasitic nematodes move through root tissues, feeding on and killing relatively tender cells as they go. They weaken roots by physical damage to tender tissues and their tunnels can dramatically r
