The behavior of ten different weed species belonging to Gramineae, Labiatae and Leguminosae in relation to the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita (race 4) and M. javanica was studied under greenhouse conditions. Evaluations were carried out 50 days after nematode inoculations (28,000 eggs/plant) by means of gall and egg masses indexes observed in the root systems and through the determination of height and/or top dry weight of the plants. Brachiaria plantaginea, Cenchrus echinatus, Digitaria horizontalis and Elcusine indica were very unfavourable hosts for the parasites, whereas and Indigofera truxillensis showed low susceptibility and Hyptis lophanta was moderately susceptible. Leonotis nepetaefolia was highly susceptible and Echinochloa colonum tolerant to the parasites.
weed hosts; root-knot nematodes