Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) plants, grown in sterilised clay pots, were inoculated with 50, 500, 1000, and 3000 second-stage juveniles (J2) of the rootknot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and were kept in a greenhouse. A nonsignificant reduction in plant growth and yield was noticed in T1 plants. Significant reductions in plant growth and yield were found in T2, T3, and T4 plants. Highest reductions, in growth and yield, were observed in T5 plants. Transverse and longitudinal sections revealed that M. incognita traversed through the cortical tissues of the root, caused infection in the differentiating vascular tissues and successfully established in the infected roots. The post-infection changes in the affected parts were hypertrophy and hyperplasia, around the head of the nematodes. Five to 10, among the hypertrophied cells, developed into very large, multinucleate, prominent, and highly specialised giant cells. The nuclei in each giant cell enclosed one or more nucleoli. Xylem and the phloem strands were found to be disoriented. Abnormal xylem and phloem comprised a substantial portion near the giant cells. The metabolic changes in the affected part led to the formation of galls, characteristic of the root-knot infection.

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Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) was inoculated with root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita to investigate the anatomical abnormalities in the affected roots. Soon after inoculation the second-stage juveniles (J2) entered at or near the root caps and migrated intercellularly towards the zone of vascular differentiation. Discrete giant cells were observed after three days of inoculation. The nematode induced hypertrophy and hyperplasia near the giant cells. After six days, the juveniles moulted to their third stage (J3). At the same, time giant cell size and density of giant cell cytoplasm increased. The continuity of vascular strands remained unaffected. Between 12 and 24 days of inoculation the giant cells enlarged several times and became multinucleate and enclosed dense and granular cytoplasm. The nematodes became almost pyriform 18 days after inoculation. The orientation of vascular strands changed, due to hypertrophy, hyperplasia and enlargement of the nematode. After 30 days of inoculation the nematodes developed into mature females and started egg laying. A large amount of parenchyma transformed into abnormal xylem.

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