Potato agriculture research Station Batakundi, naran, a hot spot for cyst nematode (Globodera spp.) of potato in Pakistan

¹ Department of Microbiology, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
² Plant Sciences Division (PSD), Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Islamabad, 45500, Pakistan

^* Corresponding author: s.ahmed@parc.gov.pk

Abstract

In Pakistan, potato summer crop in being cultivated in different agro-ecologies of Khyberpukhtun Khwa and in valleys of Gilgit Baltistan provinces. To understand the current biotic stresses scenario in the potato germplasm developed by National Institute of Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology (NIGAB) was cultivated in 2022-23. The valleys comprised on Sharan Forest Kaghan, Potato Agriculture Research Station, Batakundi Naran of KPK and Babusar valley as well as Mountain Agriculture Research Station, Chillas of Gilgit Baltistan were systematically surveyed. The soil samples were analyzed in for the cyst nematode (Globodera spp.) in potato fields as an invasive and quarantine regulated pest. Severe infestation of PCN was observed in PARS, Batakundi Naran. However, there were no any cyst was found in the rest of ecologies surveyed. The population dynamics of PCN was estimated ranges from 113-150 cysts in 100grams of soil samples. The center is being used as potato monoculture and crop breeding. The egg count estimates ranges from 270-320 eggs/cyst. There are some cysts showed the suppressive soil state as the eggs were infested with endophytes or rhizospheric microorganisms (bacteria or fungi). The cysts were morphologically characterized and identified in Crop Diseases Research Institute (CDRI) and National Nematological Research Center Pakistan.