Interactions between Radopholus similis and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense causing wilt Complex on Banana

A pot culture experiment was conducted to study the interaction of Radopholus similis and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubenseon banana in wilt susceptible cultivar,Nanjanagud Rasabale and wilt tolerant cultivar, Nendran. The results revealed that the the combined or R. similis inoculated 15 days prior to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubensehas increased the wilt incidence and fastened the wilting with a maximum reduction in plant growth over untreated control. Treatment with R. similis alone recorded the highest nematode population in both the cultivars of banana, followed by combined inoculation and R. similis inoculated 15 days prior to Foc. The combined infection by R. similis and Foc increased the incidence and severity of Fusarium wilt in banana compared to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubensealone inoculated plants suggesting a positive interaction among the pathogens.