Prevalence of nematodes in different districts of Punjab, Pakistan.

During the survey a total 69 soil samples were collected from various agro-ecological areas with different cropping history in six districts comprising Mianwali, Bhakkar, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin of Punjab province, Pakistan and assessed for nematode populations. Analysis of soil samples revealed the presence of eight genera of plant parasitic and soil nematodes. The most frequently isolated nematode population from all the soil samples were Tylenchorhynchus sp., Xiphinema sp., and Cephalobus sp. Prevalence of nematodes were high in districts Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala with soil cropping history of maize and rice cultivation.