Reaction and quantification of damage in pineapple parasite by Meloidogyne spp.

Four pineapple cultivars (Vitória, Smooth Cayenne, Pérola and MD-2 (Gold)) were inoculated M. javanica and M. enterolobii in two experiments. In the first, sixty days after planting the seedlings, the plants were inoculated with 5,000 eggs + juveniles of the second stage (J2) of M. javanica or M. enterolobii, in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 10 replications. After 90 days of inoculation, we evaluated: a fresh matter of the root system, the final population and reproduction factor of nematodes (RF). Cultivars with RF≥1.00 were considered susceptible and with RF<1 resistant. Smooth Cayenne cultivar was susceptible to both nematodes. In the second experiment, pineapple cv. Smooth Cayenne was inoculated with increasing levels of M. enterolobii (0, 2,500, 7,500 and 15,000 eggs+J2) in DIC with 8 replications, aiming to quantify the damage caused to plants by the nematode. The weight of the fruit per fruit, weight of the peel, weight of the juice, weight of the fruit without the crown, median diameter of the fruit, a diameter of the central axis of the fruit, the height of the fruit and titratable acidity were evaluated. The higher the population level of M. enterolobii, the lower the recorded values ​​of the evaluated variables.