The aim of this work was to study banana clones reaction in relation to Meloidogyne incognita race 2, under greenhouse conditions. The plants were inoculated with a suspension of 20,000 M. incognita which includes the presence of eggs and second stage juveniles. The inoculation occurred five days after the seedlings were transplanted to a plastic bag (5L) which contains soil, sand and manure, with 3:1:1 rate, and this was sterilized at 100ºC during two hours. The experimental outline was at random with four replications. The clones were evaluated after 120 days inoculation. The number of eggs and juveniles in the root system were determined. The clone CPA-34 from Grande Naine variety was used as susceptibility standard. Soil samples of 200cm³ were collected to determine the number of nematodes present in the soil. According to reproduction factors (FP/IP), as it was expected, it was shown that the clone CPA-34 is susceptible to the nematode, with the highest reproduction rate followed by the clone CPA-49 from Maçã variety, with FP/IP above one. The other tested clones showed reproduction rate below one, which indicates a certain resistance to M. incognita race 2. However, statistical analysis demonstrate significant differences between the standard clone CPA-34 compared to clones CPA-58 and CPA-54. The results of root weight and aerial part weight, showed a significant difference (1%) for all tested clones, with higher rates for the non-inoculated clones.
seedlings in vitro; Musa spp.; greenhouse; resistance
