Nematological survey in coffee nursery in Espirito Santo state, Brazil

Abstract

Despite the important role of coffee production in the economy of Espirito Santo, the second largest coffee producing state in Brazil, productivity is still below the Brazilian average. One of the factors that explain this low productivity is the presence of nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne. Contaminated seedlings are an important and efficient agent for disseminating nematodes. According to normative instruction no. 35 (IN 35), of 11/29/2012 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), the presence of Meloidogyne spp. in a single plant among a field-lot of seedlings condemns it, and the plants that compose that lot should be destroyed. In Espirito Santo, no evaluation has been carried out in nurseries covering the entire State for phytonematode detection. Therefore, the objective of this work was to carry out a nematological survey in nurseries to guide the nurserymen in relation to fulfilling IN 35 of MAPA, in addition to guiding them regarding the phytosanitary care during the production of their seedlings. The nurseries were evaluated in 19 municipalities located in both the north and the south of Espírito Santo. There were Meloidogyne spp. in evaluated samples.